M621 junctions 1 to 7

We’re carrying out a series of improvements to key junctions on the M621.

Start date Started
End date 2022-24
Cost £49.8 million

Latest updates

  • 25 November 2024

    Celebrating success

    Today we officially celebrated the successful completion of this important scheme.

  • 16 September 2024

    Work reaches final stages

    We're reaching the final stages of the M621 junction 1-7 work.
    All lane restrictions and temporary speed limits have been lifted.
    You will notice:
    • additional lanes at Junction 3
    • more free-flowing traffic between Junction 1 and Junction 3
    • new technology including overhead electronic signs, roadside signals, emergency phones and CCTV
    • installation of average speed enforcement cameras to enforce the 50mph speed limit, reduce risk of collisions and ensure safety along this route
    M621 lanes that are now open
    All lanes now open on M621

     

  • 15 July 2024

    Our work in July

    To continue our work safely, we'll need to make overnight (8pm to 6am) lane and carriageway closures at the following locations during July.

    Please remember that closure details can change at short notice. For the most up-to-date information, please visit our daily closures page. 

    • M621 eastbound carriageway between Junction 3 and Junction 7
    • M621 Junction 3 westbound entry slip
    • M621 eastbound carriageway between Junction 1 and Junction 7
    • M621 eastbound carriageway between M62 Junction 27 and M621 Junction 7
    • M621 westbound carriageway between Junction 7 and Junction 1

See more updates

Project information

Overview

We will reduce congestion by adding additional lanes for vehicles to use at the junction 2 roundabout and junction 3 westbound, as well as between junctions 2 and 3 where we’ll convert the existing hard shoulder into an additional lane for traffic. 

Motorists will be safer as our scheme will enable vehicles to move more freely at existing junctions – reducing stopping traffic and the risk of shunts and slow speed collisions. Vehicles will no longer have to stop at junction 2 and will instead be able to move freely between the M621 and A643. We’ll also be changing junction 3 westbound to give priority to the main M621 traffic, allowing it to flow more freely. Improvements at this junction will also remove conflicts where the traffic merges in this area. Permanently closing junction 2a will allow junction 3 improvements to reduce the risk of collisions resulting from the short distance between junctions 3 and 2a.

Diagram of M621 junction 1 to 7 scheme works

Watch a video showing our planned improvements to the M621 urban motorway.

Learn more about Leeds City Council's city centre roadworks.

During peak times traffic is very congested on the M621 between junctions 1 and 7, making people’s journeys unreliable and leading to shunts and slow-speed collisions between vehicles.

Our scheme will ease congestion at key locations along the M621, providing a better, safer, experience for motorists and more reliable journeys. This is great news for the local and regional economy as our scheme will support economic growth aspirations – helping people and businesses access Leeds city centre and the surrounding area.

Project background

What we are doing

Breakdown advice

Contacting National Highways if you're Deaf

We published the Made Orders for the M621 junctions 1 to 7 improvement scheme under the Highways Act 1980 on 31 October 2019 and submitted both the Side Roads Order and Compulsory Purchase Order to the Secretary of State for Transport for confirmation.

On Friday 10 January 2020 the Department for Transport issued a ‘notice of intention to hold Public Local Inquiries’ into the Side Roads Order and Compulsory Purchase Order published in October 2019 following an objection to the scheme proposals.

A Public Inquiry was scheduled, pre-COVID-19 pandemic, for June 2020 where an independent planning inspector would hear evidence from Highways England and interested parties.

Due to the current restrictions it was postponed and rescheduled for early November 2020. We’ve been working with the objector to the scheme and the objection has now been removed and the planned inquiry cancelled by the Department for Transport.

The initial published Made Orders and other supporting documentation, along with our Statement of Case for the then anticipated public inquiry can still be viewed within the documents area below.

If you have difficulty accessing any of the documents please contact us and we will try to supply you directly with an electronic copy.

Secretary of State decision letter

The Secretary of State for Transport on Friday 27 November 2020 issued his decision on the scheme proposals, confirming the Compulsory Purchase Order without modification and confirming the Side Roads Order with modifications.

Confirmed Orders 2020

Following the Secretary of State decision letter, we’ve prepared copies of the confirmed Orders.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and the need for social distancing, it wasn’t possible for us to deposit a physical copy of the Orders at a document viewing location. However they can be viewed electronically below:

• Side Roads Order Confirmation Notice 
• Confirmed Side Roads Order 2019 with modifications 
• Compulsory Purchase Order Confirmation Notice 
• Confirmed Compulsory Purchase Order 2019 

The Confirmation Notice in relation to the Side Roads Order was published on Friday 11 December 2020 and the Confirmation Notice in relation to the Compulsory Purchase Order was published on Thursday 17 December 2020. These respective dates are the start of the six weeks High Court challenge periods for each Order.

Visit our M621 junctions 1-7 interactive tool to have your say. The tool includes an interactive map. You can click on a location to make a specific comment, or give us your general feedback.

ECHO is a one-way feedback tool, so if you’d like a response to your feedback you can email the project team at: M621J1to7@highwaysengland.co.uk

Picture of ECHO feedback map

Documents

Traffic information

Information about scheduled roadworks and events on our motorways and major roads.

Contact us

0300 123 5000

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