The M11 extension that never happened
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The M11 extension that never happened
Going back 20 years or so, I do remember reading in The Yorkshire Post that Labour, if they were to be elected in 1987, were planning to extend the M11 from Cambridge to the Humber Bridge. The idea behind this was to remove pressure on the A1 and to allow faster access from Hull, then suffering very high unemployment, to the South East and revitalise the Humberside economy.
Not that a lot Labour said in the eighties was worth listening to, but the plan to extend the M11 was a good idea that should have been followed through.
Not that a lot Labour said in the eighties was worth listening to, but the plan to extend the M11 was a good idea that should have been followed through.
I always thought the M11 could have been something more than it really is. Extending it to Hull would have been a good idea as it only really serves Cambridge and Stansted now, and it seems a waste. Even diverting it along the A11 corridor would have been good. Then perhaps there'd be no excuse not to make the A14 a motorway.
"Accuse the other side of that which you are guilty."
- some extreme-right nutcase
1973-2007 Never forgotten
- some extreme-right nutcase
1973-2007 Never forgotten
A case of yet another blown opportunity, although the case for extending it to the Humber Bridge was more based on the fact that Hull had far worse unemployment than the A11 corridor.Mister_Storm wrote:I always thought the M11 could have been something more than it really is. Extending it to Hull would have been a good idea as it only really serves Cambridge and Stansted now, and it seems a waste. Even diverting it along the A11 corridor would have been good. Then perhaps there'd be no excuse not to make the A14 a motorway.
This has come up before, in fact I asked the question myself : http://www.uk-roads.org.uk/forum/viewto ... +extension
Owen
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There are already two A1199s in Greater London!owen b wrote:What is the A1199 and how does it relate to the existing road network?
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Not at all. From where I am in London (near Canary Wharf) it is far and away the most effective route to the north, Yorkshire, etc. From the Dartford tunnel direction it similarly carries a lot of long-distance traffic. Of the continental-registered trucks coming south on the A1 most turn off at Alconbury and route to the Channel ports via the M11.Mister_Storm wrote:the M11 ....... it only really serves Cambridge and Stansted now, and it seems a waste.
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I think this shows in part the importance of blue lines on the map to the many users of our roads who don't get into the detail of the network - which is why a lot of our better A roads could be usefully upgraded or even just reclassified as Ms, given their quality, in order the share traffic around a bit more evenly (although the option of a simple reclassification doesn't really apply in this case where the A1 south of Alconbury is mostly not up to standard)WHBM wrote:From the Dartford tunnel direction it similarly carries a lot of long-distance traffic. Of the continental-registered trucks coming south on the A1 most turn off at Alconbury and route to the Channel ports via the M11.
Electrophorus Electricus
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I don't think that this is particularly a matter of blue vs green lines on the maps. The M11 is simply part of the shortest way from Kent to Yorkshire. Therefor it will always be the prefered route.roadtester wrote:I think this shows in part the importance of blue lines on the map to the many users of our roads who don't get into the detail of the network - which is why a lot of our better A roads could be usefully upgraded or even just reclassified as Ms, given their quality, in order the share traffic around a bit more evenly (although the option of a simple reclassification doesn't really apply in this case where the A1 south of Alconbury is mostly not up to standard)
However, I wonder where all these high standard A roads are that would be worth reclassifying as motorways. The first two roads that come to my mind would be the A14 and A34. But even they are interfered by roundabouts and interchange with motorways in the most ridiculous way.
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I said 'upgraded or even just reclassified' - the emphasis was on upgrading not reclassifying, although there would be some candidates for that.firefly wrote:However, I wonder where all these high standard A roads are that would be worth reclassifying as motorways. The first two roads that come to my mind would be the A14 and A34. But even they are interfered by roundabouts and interchange with motorways in the most ridiculous way.
Electrophorus Electricus
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I'd love to know where all these empty HQDC's are - as far as I'm aware, roads like the A14 and A34 are choked as it is, and the A1 is definitely not motorway standard.firefly wrote:I don't think that this is particularly a matter of blue vs green lines on the maps. The M11 is simply part of the shortest way from Kent to Yorkshire. Therefor it will always be the prefered route.roadtester wrote:I think this shows in part the importance of blue lines on the map to the many users of our roads who don't get into the detail of the network - which is why a lot of our better A roads could be usefully upgraded or even just reclassified as Ms, given their quality, in order the share traffic around a bit more evenly (although the option of a simple reclassification doesn't really apply in this case where the A1 south of Alconbury is mostly not up to standard)
However, I wonder where all these high standard A roads are that would be worth reclassifying as motorways. The first two roads that come to my mind would be the A14 and A34. But even they are interfered by roundabouts and interchange with motorways in the most ridiculous way.
Chris
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I remember this from about 1990 and the plan was to make the road run from Cambridge to the north east and was dubbed the "east coast motorway." The route proposed would have taken the road to within a mile from where I used to live when I lived in east Yorkshire. The road would have returned the A1079 back into a safe local road rather than the dangerous route that it has now become. I recall that the road would have cost around £900 million at 1990 prices. They chose to pursue the A1M project instead.
With ABeaton's M11 not being an overly long motorway, probably only about 15 miles if that, M110 would probably be a better number, so the original M11 could stay the same.
And junction 4 should be all access, as your route would greatly inconvenience residents of nearby villages such as Fulbourn, Balsham, and Little & Great Wilbraham, with the junctions being closed off, but I agree these junctions should be closed off. But should any resident of these villages want to get onto the M14(E) they would have to double-back
And junction 4 should be all access, as your route would greatly inconvenience residents of nearby villages such as Fulbourn, Balsham, and Little & Great Wilbraham, with the junctions being closed off, but I agree these junctions should be closed off. But should any resident of these villages want to get onto the M14(E) they would have to double-back
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I remember the debate at the time. The North East chambers of commerce were offered the choice of A1 upgrade or east Coast M'way. Probably best that they chose the A1, as the other option wouldn't have got very far judging by progress on the A1 upgrade.Rillington wrote:I remember this from about 1990 and the plan was to make the road run from Cambridge to the north east and was dubbed the "east coast motorway." The route proposed would have taken the road to within a mile from where I used to live when I lived in east Yorkshire. The road would have returned the A1079 back into a safe local road rather than the dangerous route that it has now become. I recall that the road would have cost around £900 million at 1990 prices. They chose to pursue the A1M project instead.