The M1 motorway is an important motorway in England. It joins London and Leeds. It was the second motorway to be built in the UK, after the Preston bypass (which later formed part of the M6). It was the first UK motorway to be built that joined two cities, London and Birmingham.

Location 
The motorway is 193 miles (310 km) long. It was built in four phases. Some of the motorway was opened in 1959. Other sections opened between 1965 and 1968. Two extensions were opened in 1977 and 1999.

The motorway is part of the unsigned European route E13.

History 
The first section of the motorway opened between Junction 5 (Watford) and Junction 18 (Rugby). It opened on 2 November 1959. This included two of the motorway's spurs, the M10 at Junction 7, and the M45 at Junction 17. It followed near to the A5.

In 1965, an extension from Junction 18 towards Yorkshire was built. The motorway takes a more northerly route through the East Midlands. It passes near Leicester, Loughborough and Nottingham to Sheffield . Here the M18 splits from the M1 at Junction 32.

In 1972 an extension of the M1 was opened into central Leeds. It was called the Leeds South Eastern Motorway. It meets the Leeds South Western Motorway (M621) at Junction 43.

The first motorway service station was built on the M1 in 1959. It is currently operated by RoadChef.

Junctions
{| style="margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em; color:black; font-size:95%;" class="wikitable"
|-  style="background:#0080d0; text-align:center; color:white; font-size:120%;"
| colspan="6" | M1 motorway junctions
|-
!scope=col|mile
!scope=col|km
!scope=col abbr="Southbound"|Southbound exits (B carriageway)
!scope=col|Junction
!scope=col abbr="Northbound"|Northbound exits (A carriageway)
!scope=col|Coordinates
|- style="text-align:center;"
|7.0
|11.3
| North Circular (West), Brent Cross, Wembley, Hanger Lane, (A406 West)
| J1Southern terminus
| Start of motorway
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|9.19.2
|14.6  14.8
| Central London (The City), HollowayNorth Circular (A406)(E) A1
| J2
|  No access
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|12.0
|19.3
|London Gateway services
|Services
|London Gateway services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|13.213.5
|21.3  21.8
| Harrow, Edgware A41 (A406 North)
| J4
|  No access
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|17.117.5
|27.5  28.1
| Harrow, Aylesbury A41Watford A4008
| J5
| Aylesbury, Watford, M25 (West) A41
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|19.720.0
|31.7  32.2
| North Watford A405
| J6
| St Albans, Harlow, M25 (East) A405
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|20.420.8
|32.9  33.5
| Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, M40, M4, M3
Stansted Airport, Dartford, M11, M20
| J6aM25 interchange
|  No access
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|22.522.7
|36.2  36.6
| St Albans, Hatfield A414
| J7
|  No access
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|23.523.8
|37.8  38.3
| Hemel Hempstead
| J8
| Hemel Hempstead A414
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|27.928.3
|44.9  45.6
| Redbourn A5183
| J9
| Dunstable, Redbourn A5183
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|30.330.6
|48.8  49.2
| Luton Airport A1081
| J10
| Luton (S) & Airport A1081
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|33.734.0
|54.3  54.7
| Luton (Centre), Dunstable A505
| J11
| Luton (Centre), Dunstable A505
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|
|
|Dunstable (North), Aylesbury A5, A505, A5505
|J11A
|Dunstable (North), Aylesbury A5, A505, A5505
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|38.9
|62.6
|Toddington services
|Services
|Toddington services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|38.538.9
|62.0  62.6
| Flitwick A5120
| J12
| Flitwick A5120 
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|45.245.4
|72.7  73.1
| Bedford A421Woburn, Ampthill A507
| J13
| Bedford, Milton Keynes (South) A421
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|49.750.2
|80.0  80.8
| Milton Keynes, Newport Pagnell A509
| J14
| Milton Keynes, Newport Pagnell A509
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|53.7
|86.5
|Newport Pagnell services
|Services
|Newport Pagnell services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|61.862.3
|99.4  100.2
| Northampton, Wellingborough A45
| J15
| Northampton, Wellingborough A45
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|64.364.9
|103.5  104.5
| Northampton, Oxford A43 (M40)Northampton services
| J15aServices
| Northampton, Oxford A43 (M40) Northampton Services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|67.968.3
|109.2  109.9
| Northampton A4500
| J16
| Daventry A45
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|75.1
|120.8
|Watford Gap services
|Services
|Watford Gap services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|76.676.9
|123.3  123.8
|  No access
| J17
| Coventry (S) M45
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|78.578.9
|126.3  126.9
| Daventry, DIRFT A428
| J18
| Hinckley A5 Rugby A428DIRFT
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|82.382.7
|132.4  133.1
| Felixstowe, Corby, Kettering A14
| J19M6/A14 interchange
| The North West  Coventry, Birmingham M6
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|85.586.1
|137.6 138.5
| Lutterworth A4303Rugby (A426)
| J20
| Lutterworth A4303Market Harborough A4304
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|96.196.6
|154.6  155.4
| Coventry, Birmingham M69 (M6)Leicester A5460
| J21
| Coventry M69Leicester A5460
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|97.7
|157.2
|Leicester Forest East services
|Services
|Leicester Forest East services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|99.399.5
|159.8  160.1
| No access
| J21a
| Leicester (N), Newark A46
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|104.3104.7
|167.8  168.5
| Leicester A50, Coalville A511
| J22
| Ashby, Coalville A511
| 

|- style="text-align:center;"
|108.8109.2
|175.1  175.8
| Loughborough, Shepshed A512
| J23
| Loughborough, Shepshed A512
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|113.4113.6
|182.5  182.8
| The SOUTH WEST, Tamworth, Birmingham, A42 (M42)
| J23a  Services
| East Midlands  A453Donington Park services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|114.9115.4
|184.9  185.7
| Nottingham, East Midlands  A453 Donington Park services
| J24
| Stoke A50Derby (A6)Nottingham (S) A453
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|115.8116.2
| 186.3  187.0
| Stoke A50Derby (A6)
| J24a
|  No access
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|120.0120.5
|193.2  193.9
| Nottingham, Derby A52
| J25
| Derby, Nottingham A52
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|124.1
|199.8
|Trowell services
|Services
|Trowell services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|126.0126.6
|202.8  203.7
| Nottingham  A610
| J26
| Ripley, Nottingham A610
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|131.5132.0
| 211.7  212.4
| Heanor, Hucknall A608
| J27
| Mansfield A608
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|135.0135.5
|217.2  218.0
| Derby A38Matlock (A615)
| J28
| Mansfield A38Matlock (A615)
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|138.3
|222.5
|Tibshelf services
|Services
|Tibshelf services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|141.7142.3
| 228.1  229.0
| Mansfield A617Matlock (A632)
| J29
| Chesterfield A617
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|
|
| Markham Vale A6192Bolsover (A632)
| J29a
| Markham Vale A6192Bolsover (A632)
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|148.4148.8
|238.9  239.5
| Chesterfield (A619) Newark A616
| J30
| Sheffield (S) A6135Worksop (A619)
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|151.3
|243.5
|Woodall services
|Services
|Woodall services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|153.8154.2
|247.5  248.2
| Worksop A57
| J31
| Sheffield (SE), Rotherham (S) A57
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|156.3156.6
|251.6  252.1
| The NORTH, Doncaster, Hull M18
| J32M18 interchange
| The NORTH, Doncaster, Hull, Rotherham (E) M18
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|158.8159.2
|255.6  256.2
| Sheffield (C), Rotherham (C) A630
| J33
| Sheffield (C), Rotherham (C) A630
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|161.5161.7
|259.9  260.3
| Sheffield (E), Rotherham (C), Meadowhall A6109:
| J34
| Sheffield (E), Rotherham (C), Meadowhall A6178:
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|164.9165.4
|265.4  266.2
| Rotherham (N) A629
| J35
| Rotherham (N) A629
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|166.7166.9
|268.2 268.6
|  No access
| J35a
| Manchester A616
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|168.0168.5
|270.3  271.2
| Sheffield (N), Barnsley A61
| J36
| Barnsley (S) A61
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|172.1172.6
|276.9  277.8
| Barnsley, Manchester A628
| J37
| Manchester, Barnsley A628
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|176.4176.9
|283.9 284.7
| Huddersfield A637
| J38
| Huddersfield A637
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|178.5
|287.2
|Woolley Edge services
|Services
|Woolley Edge services
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|179.9180.4
|289.5  290.4
| Denby Dale A636
| J39
| Wakefield A636
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|182.6183.0
|293.8  294.5
| Wakefield, Dewsbury A638
| J40
| Dewsbury, Wakefield A638
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|185.1185.6
|297.9  298.7
| Wakefield, Morley A650
| J41
| Wakefield A650
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|186.5187.0
| 300.1  301.0
| Hull, Pontefract, Manchester, Bradford M62
| J42M62 interchange
| Manchester, Bradford, Leeds/Bradford Hull M62
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|188.4189.0
|303.2  304.1
|  No access
| J43
| Leeds M621
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|189.4189.9
|304.8  305.6
| Leeds A639(M621)
| J44
| Leeds (S) A639
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|190.8191.2
| 307.1  307.7
| Leeds A63
| J45
| Leeds (SE) A63
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|193.7194.0
|311.7  312.2
| Leeds (E) A6120
| J46
| Leeds (E), Leeds/Bradford  A6120Selby A63
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|196.6197.0
| 316.4  317.1
| Castleford A656Garforth A642
| J47
| Garforth A642The SOUTH (A1(M))
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|197.7
|318.1
| Start of motorway
| A1(M), J43Northern terminus
| The NORTH, Wetherby A1(M)York (A64)
| 
|-
|colspan=6|Notes
Data from driver location signs/distance marker posts are used to provide distance and carriageway identification information. Where a junction spans several hundred metres and the data is available, both the start and finish values for the junction are shown. Coordinate data from ACME Mapper.
|-

References

Other websites 
 CBRD Motorway Database - M6
 Highway Agency 

Motorways in England