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29/10/2009
The M1 motorway, billed as having revolutionised road travel in the UK, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Initially connecting Berrygrove, near Watford with Crick, near Rugby, the first 62 miles of the road opened on 2 November, 1959. It was inaugurated by transport minister Harold Wilkinson as the London-Yorkshire Motorway during work the previous year.
And at first the new road had no speed limit, though a national upper limit of 70mph for all roads was introduced in 1965.
Built for just £26 million, the original section makes up almost a third of the modern motorway's 193-mile length between Leeds to London; a crucial link between the north and south of the country.
According to motoring group the AA, engineers who designed the M1 only envisaged it being used by 20,000 cars a day - a fraction of today's 140,000-vehicle peaks.
To cope with the increase, the road has been subject to a range of improvements, including widening and hard-shoulder running schemes. A range of future developments are also planned.
"The significance of the M1 can't be underestimated – it is the backbone of the UK," said Paul Watters, head of road and transport policy at the AA.
"In 50 years' time, the M1 and the vehicles on it may look different - and be propelled by and contain new technologies - but you can be pretty sure it will still be there linking north to south and beyond to Europe."
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