Sometimes referred to as the Ross Spur, it is a 22 miles (35 km) connection of the M5 motorway to a point near Ross-on-Wye, where it joins the A40 road continuing westward into Wales.

Between junctions 1 and 2 chiefly for these towns respectively, it crosses the River Severn on the Queenhill Bridge and Viaduct over the flood plain.

)[3] It is one of the few British motorways not to have been widened,[citation needed] instead retaining its original layout of two lanes in each direction.

[4] Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.

Junction 3 consists of dual-carriageway-style 90° exits due to cost, low traffic volume and the style of road; however this has been the scene of various accidents.