Now the more I think about it, the more I wish I had not posted that.

No, over Woodhead around to Glossop and back over Snake Pass is one of my favourite drives.

I said yes. D3M would attract loads more traffic, and quite a bit of work would need to be done at each end, but it would help the M62 and many of the small towns in the Pennines so much!

Sheffield would also be less cut off with roads which often get cut off with snow, and the only rail line to Sheffield (via Stockport) would be relieved, however I do not agree with the plan which was for one of the carriageways to use the Woodhead Tunnel, which I think should be saved for a re opened rail line!

I accept the point that Sheffield would benefit to an extent from better road access to Manchester and the north west but given that the M1 does go directly past Sheffield, the city is hardly isolated.

I still think that reopening the railway route via Woodhead would be a far better option when it comes to connecting Sheffield with the north west plus there'd be very little environmental impact compared to a new motorway where the impact on the environment is huge.

D3M? No.

D2, yes! But not before the A66 dualling is completed.

I think it depends on context.

If the M67 were to be the only new route across the Pennines then I would argue for a D3 with additional crawler lanes where there are inclines. The supressed demand will be there and it would also be the case of building a route beyond Sheffield past the north of Doncaster to stitch it in with the M180 which could then become part of the M67. This would also increase the motorway density inside the Yorkshire motorway box and open up sites in South Yorkshire for regeneration in a way that other routes won't.

In terms of a tie-in at Manchester - this is where an outer Southern Bypass of Manchester will be needed - the A6(M) connecting with a future (pigs flying again) parallel D3 motorway adjacent to the M6, which would skirt the east of the Stoke on Trent area (and connecting with the A50) and link up withthe M6(Toll) and further on to the M6 and an evetual tie-in with the M56.

If the M65 became a route connecting Preston with, say York, then you could afford perhaps to reduce the designed capacity of the M67 to D2 with additional crawler lanes - the reason being that there would be three strategic E-W routes between the Manchester/Liverpool/Lancashire and Yorkshire conurbations.

Quality would of course be important - it would be a design masterpiece - tunnels and iconic bridges, something that would match or beat the M6 where it passes the Lake District in being a route that becomes moulded into the landscape. This would aply to the M65 as well as the M67.

Sadly I can't find it, but that was the 1975 proposed route of the E22 (since been rerouted via Leeds). It, AFAIK, went via Thurcroft, rather than any proposed route along the Dearne Valley.

As I've always believed, opening up the M67 corridor to the east would be a solid investment in infrastructure but not one that is likely to happen.

If the French can thread the A75 through the Massif Central, why we can't build 25 miles of motorway across a somewhat uninspiring peat moor is beyond me.

Those who think Woodhead is somehow scenic and beautiful really need to go to the Lakes or Yorkshire Dales. This part of the world is full of uninspiring peat moors, some well designed structures would enhance them considerably.

I don't know what you mean. Here's a random view of the road over the Pennines.

That's massively subjective.

That it might be but Woodhead is never going to enter my favourite landscapes list. It's on a par with Darwen moor for bland, generic hill.

Early on a sunny Saturday at the end of August, it can be reasonably pretty.

Don't think it's generic, I think it's really quite ugly. A nice motorway across would really liven it up. If you want nice scenery in Derbyshire, come to South Derbyshire- it's the only decent part.

I'll have what you've been drinking please. Nothing is ever scenically improved by a motorway, the best it can do is avoid sticking out too badly (the M6 past Shap isn't too bad in that regard although I do wonder about people who claim it improves things).

The main thing about any uncultivated and undeveloped bit of land in England is that there's not really all that much of it. If 90% of England was moorland like that then I wouldn't care.

I don't know anyone locally who thinks Scammonden Bridge is an eyesore. It's a huge local landmark and people regularly admire the views from the top... our landscapes have not been undeveloped since feudal times; all those stone walls, drains, etc...

The view from the top - where you can see everything apart from the bridge