A194(M)

The A194(M), a short spur from the A1(M) south of Gateshead towards the A19 Tyne Tunnel, is a casualty of the A1's continually shifting course in the north east.

Originally, the A1 passed through Gateshead and Newcastle themselves, and when the A1(M) motorway south towards Darlington opened, it came bundled up with this little spur towards South Shields, called the A194(M). But the A1 still passed through a busy urban area and still needed a bypass. It got one when the Tyne Tunnel near Jarrow opened, and the A1 was duly rerouted through the new crossing, absorbing the A194(M) into the A1(M). The spur became the main road.

When the Tyne Tunnel became overcrowded, a new Western Bypass was built, opening in the late 1980s. Now that road is the A1, and it forks off at Washington, meaning the road from Washington to South Shields was a spur once again and got its number back - A194(M) once more. It's the only motorway to have been renumbered and changed back later to its original designation.

Its northern terminus always looks a bit odd on a map. Shouldn't the motorway continue across the roundabout on a flyover instead of stopping? Most of the traffic does exactly that, but for various reasons traffic for the Tyne Tunnel is routed eastwards, to do a dog-leg onto the A19, avoiding the built-up area that the A194 passes through.

Start

Washington

End

Felling

Passes

Gateshead

Connects to
Length

4 miles

Click a section name to see its full details, or click a map symbol on the right to see all motorways opened in that year.

Completed Name Start End Original number Other numbers
Birtley - White Mare Pool A1(M) J65 Birtley J3 White Mare Pool A194(M) A1(M) Chronology map for 1970

Exit list

Symbols and conventions are explained in the key to exit lists. You can click any junction to see its full details.

Junction   Northbound               Southbound  
3
59/3 km
Gateshead
Newcastle
A184
Jarrow
A194
Sunderland
South Shields
Tyne Tunnel
A184 (A19 Link)











A184

B1288
NORTH
A194









A184
(A19)
N/A
LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
1 mile, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
2
57/7 km
Washington (N)
Felling
A195
A195 A195 Washington (N)
Felling
A195
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
1
55/2 km
Washington
A182
B1288 A182
(A1)
Washington A182
Gateshead
Newcastle
(A1 North Link)
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
A1(M) J65
53/8 km
N/A A1(M)




SOUTH
A1(M)


The SOUTH
Durham
Darlington
A1(M) Link
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
Routes

Picture credits

  • Photograph of A194(M) is taken from an original by Steve and used with permission.

With thanks to JP and Mikey for information on this page.

In this section

What's new

Oxford's Ground Zero

Oxford's Zero Emission Zone is just a trial, but transport policy in Oxford has become the catalyst for pitched battles and drawn in protestors from across the UK. What's happening to this genteel university town?

2023 end of year message

It’s been a quiet year for Roads.org.uk, but we will be back to our usual schedule soon.

London’s other forgotten motorways

We’ve spent years documenting the unbuilt urban motorway network planned for London. Today we’re unveiling more new routes that have never been seen before!

Share this page

Have you seen...

Warrington New Town

New Towns are fascinating places socially and architecturally - and, of course, in terms of roads. This article explores one example from start to finish.

About this page

Published

Last updated