Motorway gantry sign
A gantry spanning the motorway with blue overhead signs indicating one lane exiting and two continuing ahead, and the following text.
Left lane destinations: A693 Stanley; A167 Chester-le-St.
Right-hand two lanes destinations: The SOUTH; Durham A1(M) .
Junction number: 63.
We leave behind the chaotic road around Newcastle and Gateshead here. Our third lane departs for Chester-le-Street, and from here onwards the road is a rural two-lane motorway with widely spaced junctions. Time to make some progress southwards.