The Weak Link
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For fifteen years or more, the Cumberland Gap was the name for the weak link in the road network between England and Scotland. Travelling up from England was the M6, three high-quality lanes of motorway that reached Carlisle in the early 1970s. Travelling south from Scotland's central belt was the M74 and A74(M), three lanes of shiny new motorway completed in the mid-1990s. Linking the two, and crossing the border, were six miles of the old road that were never properly sorted out.
Work is currently in progress (as of late 2007) to upgrade this road to become part of the M6. Soon those six miles will pass as quickly and anonymously as the hundreds of miles of motorway on either side. So, to commemorate the passing of this singularly shoddy piece of trunk road, here's the whole thing, driven northbound and real time. Oh, the memories...
With thanks to Steven Jukes who shot this video.
- Video captured
- Late 2005
- Running time
- 6'10"