The motorway that feels like the sixties
Opened in 1959 and not much changed since, the M45 is one of the UK's quietest motorways. It's like stepping back in time to the days when you could have the road all to yourself.
This video was filmed on 11 October 2003, but the date hardly matters - nothing ever changes on the M45 anyway. We've added a more chilled out soundtrack than usual to accompany the zen visuals: there's nobody around and not much to see as the motorway cuts across the sunny Northamptonshire countryside. It's the perfect antidote to modern motorway driving.
You might like our guide to the M45.
Map extract from OS Opendata 1:250,000 Scale Colour Raster under the Open Government Licence 3.0.
With thanks to Steven Jukes for driving!
What's new
The sunlit uplands
On Saturday 31 May something historic happened. The Heads of the Valleys Road was finally complete.
Grand openings
Our much-loved Opening Booklets section has two new publications for you to explore, and we’re making some overdue changes to make them easier to find and easier to read.
Silver bullet
The Silvertown Tunnel is finally open for business. One question remains: what’s it for?
Have you seen...
Mixed Signals
During the 1960s the UK developed some of the most sophisticated - and strange - electronic variable message signs anywhere in the world. How? And, just as importantly... why?
