The mention of the abandoned part-constructed M67 Manchester - Sheffield motorway triggers old memories of the 1970s, ideas of the "nuisance" of the Woodhead Line fated to be closed to make way for the "essential" M67 through the Longdendale Valley!
Free flowing traffic is better for the climate than congestion (especially in urban areas) as it leads to lower concentrations for the same amount of traffic.
If you thought the UK was the only country with unfinished motorways, just wait until you see Germany. Two of its main cross-country autobahns, the A1 and A4 still have 25km and 100km gaps in Rhineland Palatinate and Hesse respectively. Much bigger than any missing links within the British Isles!
Building roads, speeding up car journey times will take passengers away from rail and induce demand.
Except induced demand is a thing. I’d agree if “the same amount of traffic” is what resulted, but it never is.
It’s slightly quicker time wise, but about a third longer distance wise compared to going via the A36. Which way you travel mostly depends on what your circumstances are.
It’s common sense - journey time is one factor in choosing a transport mode along with convenience, cost, etc.
That's very different though, as they are missing sections of the planned network, they are not gaps between two massive conurbations
Yes, of course, but it's not exactly a straight line. The same as Manchester to Sheffield, you can go via the M62 and M1
I've always wondered how long until Scotland "does an Ireland" and switches to kilometers as a petty middle finger to big bad Westminster.
Passing Markeaton Roundabout a couple of weeks back I was astonished to see the A52 Ashbourne Road, right at the roundabout exits, still has a zebra crossing (not push button crossing).
The project to do just that (grade-separate all three remaining roundabouts on the A38 through Derby) is currently going through the quagmire of eco-bananas mounting legal challenges against it.
The best example of this is the Netherlands. Look at the density of their motorway network. Then, more importantly, look at the junctions. Pretty much every single motorway-motorway interchange is fully free-flow (albeit with a notable exception here: https://goo.gl/maps/mKz77TtaFH16AeGt8 very British!), and they've properly fixed dangerous and congested sections. Take a look at Eindhoven, for example: https://goo.gl/maps/fJ6sY8cokKZCdpfu8 proper parallel carriageways to separate "local" and long distance traffic, free-flow junctions at all the major interchanges, etc. If you have Google Earth (desktop version) installed, compare it to the historical satellite imagery from around 2003, the difference is enormous.
The A55 from Chester to Conwy could be a candidate, but west of Conwy you'll run into problems...
There aren't good alternative routes to the A55 between Conwy and Bangor. There is a mountain pass between Conwy and Dwygyfylchi/Penmaenmawr, a single carriageway now used as a cycle route between Pen and Llanfairfechan (Telford's old road, between the modern carriageways, with a footbridge either end for access). There's a new cycle route between Llanfairfechan and Bangor, but no through route for vehicles; only local access for farms. The diversion route is inland through Bethesda and Betws y Coed, which is of no use to (say) learner drivers in Penmaenmawr or Llanfairfechan.
The A55 was marketed as an Expressway back in the 70s/80s when the major dualling to Bangor was being done. (The name isn't as prevalent these days, but local papers like the Daily Post still use it.) Junction numbers didn't arrive until after the extention to Holyhead two decades ago, though, and there's still those roundabouts at Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr.
A similar approach is taken to the "special road" part of the A55 between Llanddulas and Conwy, where learner drivers are banned, but HGV learners are *permitted*. This is an area where the old A55 (now A547) is available alongside for car learners and other traffic. But without that road for learner drivers, you'd have a bit of a problem until you passed your test.
I think it would make sense to allow learner drivers on expressways if they become an official class of road. This would give them the opportunity to practice driving through motorway style conditions without the daunting aspect of doing it on an actual motorway (although I respect that some learners may feel confident on a motorway, hence the recent suggestions to allow learners on those).
Are you referring to the honestly not a motorway governor project they're doing
The M67 and the eventual fate of Woodhead are intertwined in that both were lost.
I didn't realise until a family member recently started driving lessons, but since 2018 learner drivers have been allowed to use motorways (in an approved driving instructor's car equipped with dual controls)
There's some quite spectacular civil engineering, especially further east. A bit of a showpiece for the contractors and their engineers. Much more interesting from that point of view than the cancelled M4 relief road near Newport would have been.
You’d probably be best off building a completely new offline bypass for that stretch of the A1, passing to the east of Biggleswade and St Neots before rejoining at the A14 interchange.
