A1(M)

A1 and A1(M)

Great North Road

London to Edinburgh

The A1 is the UK's longest numbered road and probably its most famous, linking London with Edinburgh and forming the backbone of the road network in mainland Britain.

Routes

A1 and A1(M)

The Great North Road was only ever going to play a walk-on part in London's proposed urban motorway network.

Routes

Opening booklets

In days gone by, new roads were often celebrated with a grand opening ceremony and the issue of a commemorative booklet heralding the exciting new highway. You'll find some of them here, complete with a glimpse of all that empty tarmac and a healthy dose of modernist optimism.

Histories

The wonderful A1 21 December 2017

The A1 is the UK's longest road, but the part within London is easily overlooked. Here's five things you (maybe) didn't know about it.

Routes

What's new

Skid Risk, Accident, Fog

For the first time, we can share pictures of the pioneering experiment that lit up the Worcestershire countryside with enormous signs 61 years ago.

All change

In July 2024, a new Government entered office with a very different set of priorities. What does it mean for a faltering roads programme?

A century of motorways

It's 100 years since the opening of the world's first motorway, the Autostrada from Milan to the Lakes.

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Have you seen...

Queensway Tunnel

The engineering marvel of its day, much altered and maligned ever since: this is the original Mersey Tunnel in all its glory.