This paper looks at how British main roads were planned, managed and administered prior to the introduction of the motorway. It describes the history of road development from pre-Roman trackways, through to the industrialrevolution, and to the turnpike system. The effect of the introduction ofcanals and railways on roads is assessed. Local authorities' responsibility for road management is examined, followed by study of the transfer of this responsibility to central government, under the remit of the newly formed Ministry of Transport after the First World War. Although some major road projects were undertaken, there was still no coherent national network. In 1936 a trunk road network was established, but the outbreak of the Second World War followed by competing post-war priorities meant the plans to improve and enlarge the trunk road system, including a motorway network were delayed until the late 1950s. The first motorway was opened in 1958. (Author/publisher)
Abstract