Opened in 1990 as part of the M50 Western Parkway project, the junction was originally a grade separated interchange from the point of view of M50 travellers, however for N7 motorists it was a signal-controlled roundabout with negotiation of traffic lights required for all movements.
The nickname Mad Cow roundabout was commonly used to refer to the junction, referring to the slang term given to cattle suffering from the brain disease BSE.