50 years of motorways
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December 5th 2008 marks the 50th anniversary of the opening of the first motorway. Eight miles of experimental road, bypassing the congested A6 through Preston in Lancashire, were revolutionary when they first opened in 1958. Today we take them for granted - but they have changed the lifestyle and culture of people in the UK more than we realise.
This page brings together the various celebrations being held across the internet and in the real world to mark the 50th birthday of the M6 Preston Bypass.
As features become available online, you'll find links to them here.
CBRD - LMARS - Pathetic Motorways - Road to Nowhere - SABRE
Here on CBRD
Histories: Preston Bypass
A new feature looking at the first motorway in detail: where the motorway dream began, why Preston was chosen and how it was built. The feature includes a wealth of new material including the inauguration of the Bypass, plans drawn up for it in 1943 and Police reports on drivers' behaviour on this strange new type of road.Histories: Opening Booklets
The book published to commemorate the Inauguration of the Preston Bypass works, available online for the first time.People: Sir James Drake
The man who started it all, Lancashire County Council's in-house motorway enthusiast throughout the motorway-building era of the sixties. The Preston Bypass is widely acknowledged as one of his key achievements and People will take a closer look at the man himself.
Motorway Signs History
The story of the frequently-changed motorway sign guidelines, from the very first blue signs on the Preston Bypass to their modern counterparts.
The Secret History of Motorways
The story of the motorway, from beginning to end and with all the juicy bits in the middle. Pathetic Motorways leads the way on the full tale from 1896 to the present.
The Dawn of the Motorway Age
A new feature, taking a look at the history of the road, the background to why it was opened, and what happened afterwards.Old Roads: M6 Preston Bypass
Strip-maps showing the Preston Bypass as it appeared in 1958 and 1970, plus extracts from Ordnance Survey maps of the Bypass in days gone by.
Preston Awayday
A special event held across two days in Preston, with events on the Friday - the actual anniversary - and a second day of events on the Saturday for those members who are unable to attend during the week.
