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A system
of high-speed roads to link all the main areas of population
was first considered as long ago as the 1920's and some
detailed planning was undertaken in the following decade.
World War II curtailed an advances along these lines but, in
the late 1940's, surveys of routes were undertaken and the
section of motorway between junctions 4 and 8 on the M5 was
the first in the country to have its line established by an
order under the Special Roads Act of 1949. The first section
of the motorway was not built for another nine years until
the Preston By-Pass (between junctions 29 and 32 on the M6)
opened on December 5th, 1958.
From
those early days new motorway and trunk road construction
continued apace until the 1990's by which time all the major
centres of population had been connected. Since then efforts
to reduce road congestion have taken the form of relief
roads, such as the M6 Toll, widening projects and the
rebuilding and re-alignment of junctions. With the continued
meteoric growth in personalized transport, large stretches
of motorway are still utilized to well beyond the designed
capacity. Nonetheless, many travellers still consider this
form of transport to be the most cost-effective and motorway
travel remains more popular than ever.
With
this in mind it was felt that a travel guide concentrating
specifically on motorways could prove to be of significant
benefit to the millions of travellers who use these routes
every year and the first edition of Off the Motorway
was published in June 2000.
This is
a comprehensive guide to the facilities to be found at each
junction as well as between junctions, but also includes a
resume of landmarks and places of interest along the route.
It is designed to not only direct motorway drivers to the
many different types of facilities along the way but also to
provide interesting information on places close to the
motorway, many of which can be visited without significant
diversion should the traveller wish to relieve a tedious
journey.
Each
motorway has an Introduction describing the route and
detailing information on the major landmarks visible
(listing them in sequence as if travelling from Junction 1).
Obviously perspectives will vary depending upon which
direction the vehicle is travelling in and, similarly, some
views may be obstructed in the summer when the trees
screening the carriageways has a full complement of leaves.
Coming
off at a junction can often prove to be something of a
lottery, especially if running short of fuel, and the
primary purpose of this book is to inform travellers of all
the Facilities, ie sites providing food, drink, fuel
and accommodation, available within a radius of about one
mile from each junction. Additional information including
disabled access, toilet facilities, cash dispensers,
business facilities and whether credit cards are accepted is
detailed at each location. From a practical viewpoint,
junctions on urban motorway stretches have been omitted as
there are many facilities freely available and within easy
reach, whilst at junctions within urban areas only the main
roads have been included.
Minor
injuries not necessitating a 999 call, can happen all too
often and the nearest Accident & Emergency Hospital
to each junction has been identified, along with the route.
In our experience very few hospitals are signed from
junctions and trying to locate one with an active A&E
Department can prove to be time-consuming and frustrating.
We are indebted to Ambulance Control Centres up and down the
country for their help in compiling this information.
The
Places of Interest section describes some of the
attractions within easy reach of the motorway and which
could conveniently be used for breaking a long journey or as
a destination in their own right.
The
three previous editions were very well received by leisure
and business travellers alike and, as well as updating all
the information for the routes previously dealt with, we
have once again expanded the number of motorways and now
include those located in Scotland. The publication now
details the 454 junctions on the 40 main motorways in
Britain and only the eleven short spurs (M10, M32, M45, M49,
M67, M181, M271, M602, M621 & M898) and a smattering of
reclassified A routes (eg A1(M) have been omitted.
In
previous editions prices have been left out of any details
as they can be considered extremely time-sensitive and
experience has now led us to omit opening and meal serving
times too, for much the same reason.
The
book has, once again, been totally re-designed in full
colour with illustrations and with satellite navigation now
gaining in popularity this edition now includes full
addresses and postcodes. With regard to the latter it is
worth noting that in rural areas one postcode can cover a
large area and it may be difficult to pinpoint any
particular facility without checking the maps provided in
the book.
We
would like to thank staff at Tourist Information Centres,
Motorway Maintenance Departments and Highways Agency offices
across the country for their generous assistance in
supplying us with information.
Note:
Marker Posts are found at 328 yards (100m) intervals
along motorways and major trunk routes. With the widespread
use of mobile telephones, when calling for assistance at the
side of the motorway it is essential that the operator is
told which motorway you are on, the direction being
travelled and the nearest marker post to the vehicle.
Bibliography:
A History of British Motorways by George Charlesworth,
Thomas Telford Ltd (1984).
ISBN 0 7277 0159 2
Chris's British Road Directory
on www.cbrd.co.uk |
