Take a journey back through time as the M1 turns 65
The 193-mile network has come a long way from its original format
Britain's first major motorway, the M1, celebrates its 65th anniversary today (Saturday, November 2), marking six and a half decades since it revolutionised travel between London and the North. The motorway's creation marked a pivotal moment in British transport history.
Transport Secretary Ernest Marples inaugurated the pioneering 62-mile stretch from Watford to Crick near Rugby on November 2, 1959. The £15 million project was completed by 5,000 workers who persevered through challenging conditions, including one of Britain's wettest summers in 1958.
READ MORE: 'Worrying and disappointing' - Leicestershire bus users have their say on new £3 cap
The motorway has undergone significant changes since its early days of no speed limits, crash barriers or lighting, with 120 miles now operating under smart motorway rules. Daily traffic has surged from 20,000 vehicles in its first year to between 130,000 and 140,000 today, though the AA reports 81 per cent of their members want the controversial smart motorway system scrapped.
Edmund King, AA President, said: “The M1 has been the backbone of British motoring for 65 years. Whilst it has its issues, people forget or don’t realise what it was like before our major motorways were constructed.
"The construction of the M1 led to more freight moving to road enabling easier North to South delivery routes. The M1 transformed mobility in the UK – it enabled families to visit relatives in far-flung parts of the country which would have taken many more hours to get to and led to the expansion of motorway network we recognise today.”
Take a tour of our gallery below to see how much the M1 has changed
The first section of the motorway opened between Junction 5 (Watford) and Junction 18 (Crick/Rugby) on November 2 1959 together with the motorway’s two spurs, the M10 (from Junction 7 to south of St Albans originally connecting to the A1) and the M45 (from Junction 17 to the A45 and Coventry).
(Image: PA)1 of 8
Britain's first full length motorway, the M1, taken near to the Luton spur
(Image: PA)2 of 8
A workman sweeping part of the new London to Yorkshire motorway on the longest straight section, six miles long, near Dunstable.
(Image: PA)3 of 8![]()
The new Leicestershire London to Yorkshire motorway, as it was referred to at the time, took two-and-a-half years to complete and used 450,000 tonnes of concrete.
(Image: hinckley times)4 of 8
