Britain's first motorway was the Preston bypass, an eight and a quarter mile stretch in Lancashire opened by Prime Minister Harold Macmillan on 5 December 1958. The first long-distance motorway, the M1, followed on 2 November 1959. For the next six years there was no speed limit on either.

Why did Britain need motorways in the first place?

By the 1950s, car ownership was climbing fast and the old trunk roads simply could not cope. Main routes ran straight through town centres, lorries crawled up hills, and a long journey meant hours stuck behind slow traffic.

The legal groundwork had already been laid by the Special Roads Act 1949. It allowed the government to build roads reserved for certain types of traffic. Pedestrians, cyclists, horses and slow vehicles could be kept off completely, which was a brand new idea on British roads.

What was the Preston bypass like?

By modern standards it was very basic. It had two lanes in each direction and hard shoulders, but no crash barrier down the central reservation and no lighting. The road now forms part of the M6.

It was also the testing ground for something every driver now knows well. The blue motorway signs, and the Transport lettering designed by Jock Kinneir and Margaret Calvert, made their first appearance there.

The launch did not go entirely to plan. Within weeks, in January 1959, the bypass had to close temporarily. Water had got under the surface and frost damaged the road, which was an awkward start for Britain's road of the future.

When did the M1 open?

Transport Minister Ernest Marples opened the first section of the M1 on 2 November 1959. It ran for about 62 miles, from near Watford to Crick near Rugby, and was built in around 19 months.

The new road was a novelty. Plenty of people drove it just to see what the fuss was about.

Not every car was ready for it, though. Many 1950s family saloons were designed for gentle A-road cruising, not mile after mile at full throttle. Overheated engines and breakdowns on the hard shoulder became a familiar sight.

Watford Gap services opened with the motorway in 1959 and became one of the best known stops in the country. Through the 1960s it was a favourite late-night haunt for touring bands heading up and down the M1.

Was there really no speed limit on early motorways?

Yes. Until December 1965 there was no general speed limit on British motorways. If your car could do it, you could legally do it.

The most famous example came in 1964. AC Cars took a Cobra coupe out on the M1 in the early morning to test it ahead of the Le Mans 24 Hours, and it reached more than 180mph. The story made the newspapers and added fuel to a debate that was already running.

How did the 70mph limit come about?

The turning point was a run of serious motorway crashes in fog during 1965. Transport Minister Tom Fraser brought in a 70mph limit as a four-month experiment from 22 December 1965.

The argument ran on both sides. Safety campaigners pointed to the crashes and wanted speeds brought under control. Motoring groups felt the new roads had been built for fast travel and the limit wasted them.

The experiment was extended, and in 1967 Barbara Castle, by then Transport Minister, made the 70mph limit permanent. Nearly 60 years on, it has never been raised, even though cars have changed beyond recognition.

A few more motorway firsts

- Learner drivers were banned from motorways until June 2018. They can now take motorway lessons with an approved instructor in a car with dual controls.

- Early motorways had no central crash barriers. These were added over the following decades as traffic grew.

- The Preston bypass is still in daily use as part of the M6, carrying far more traffic than its planners ever imagined.

Conclusion

Britain's motorways began with a short Lancashire bypass that froze within weeks, followed by a gleaming M1 that many cars could barely survive. For six wild years, there was no limit at all. The 70mph rule that came out of the fog crashes of 1965 is still with us today.

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Frequently asked questions

What was the first motorway in Britain?

The Preston bypass in Lancashire, opened by Harold Macmillan on 5 December 1958. It is now part of the M6.

When did the 70mph speed limit start?

The 70mph limit began as an experiment on 22 December 1965 and was made permanent in 1967.

Who opened the M1?

Transport Minister Ernest Marples opened the first section of the M1 on 2 November 1959.