The motorway section is in total is 2.5 miles (4.0 km) long and is subject to a 40 mph (64 km/h) speed limit throughout.

The motorway cuts through inner-city neighbourhoods such as Woodhouse, Sheepscar, and Buslingthorpe, forming an important link in the road network by allowing traffic from the A65, A660, A58, A61 and A64 to bypass the city centre.

Leeds suffered severe traffic congestion as it was on the main route joining Liverpool, Manchester, Bradford and Hull.

Featuring a large elevated viaduct, it links the M621 at junction 4 with the previously-constructed traffic light controlled interchange at Cross Green, Leeds is of a similar standard to stages 4–6.

It is not currently signposted as a complete route on the ground other than on the motorway section to the north of the city centre.