A6144(M) motorway ceased being a special road on 25 May 2006 losing its motorway status. It is now subject to a 50 mph (80 km/h) speed limit and is classified as the A6144. The road through Sale retained the A6144 number, meaning that there are two branches (and two junctions with the M60 motorway) with the same road number. Despite losing motorway status, the road still prohibits pedestrians, cyclists, and horse riders. Following the change of signage on 25 May 2006, two marker posts, the A6144(M) confirmation sign and a lay-by warning sign are privately preserved. A6144(M) motorway The A6144(M) was a
M3 motorway (Northern Ireland) extended to include an orbital "Belfast Urban Motorway", close to the city centre, in 1964. Due to a combination of financial cutbacks and public opposition construction of the M3 never took place and the Belfast Urban Motorway was downgraded to the A12 Westlink dual-carriageway and only partially completed. Traffic had to make do with crossing the River Lagan on the Queen's Bridge and using the A2 to Bangor. In 1987 the government announced a plan to build a new bridge across the Lagan connecting the M2 directly to the A2. It was built in two stages: the Lagan Bridge section