M6 Junction 31: Samlesbury Interchange – A59 Samlesbury

Junction 31 of the M6, known as the Samlesbury Interchange, is where the M6 meets the A59, for Samlesbury / Preston. The nearest city is Preston, about 2.6 miles to the west, with Penwortham (4 miles west) and Longridge (5 miles north) also close by. Villages right beside the junction include Samlesbury, Higher Walton and Coupe Green.

Roads that meet at or beside this junction: A59, B6230. The main road at the junction is the A59.

From here, the drive north to junction 31A (Preston) is about 1.6 miles and the drive south to junction 30 (Bamber Bridge) is about 1.6 miles. Junction 31 is about 119 miles from the start of the M6 at junction 1 and 92 miles from the end at junction 45.

• Junction M6 J31 · Samlesbury Interchange
• Signed for A59 · Samlesbury / Preston
• Nearest town Preston, 2.6 miles west
• Map section Section 5: J21A–J32, Wigan to Preston

We also have a page on M6 Junctions 30 to 31: Preston, with the traffic counts and news for that stretch.

How busy is the M6 at junction 31?

The Department for Transport counts traffic on the stretches either side of this junction. On the stretch it labels J30 to J31 it counted 171,079 vehicles a day in 2025, 8% of them lorries. On the stretch it labels J31 to J31A it counted 158,691 vehicles a day in 2025, 8% of them lorries. See how busy the M6 is junction by junction.

© M6Traffic.co.uk · Statistics from the Department for Transport, 2025

Junctions either side

• J30Blacow BridgeM61 · Bamber Bridge (M61 to Bolton & Manchester)Nearest town: Preston, 2.5 miles
• J31AHaighton InterchangeB6242 / B6243 · Preston (east) / LongridgeNearest town: Preston, 2.6 miles