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Summary

Dynamic, dreary – Britain has 2,300 miles of motorways, and the country would grind to a halt without these tarmac arteries. But they were part of a fast, futuristic post-war vision. Will we ever build another one? Ros Taylor talks to Chris Marshall, who runs <a href= "http://roads.org.uk/">roads.org.uk</a>, and the musician and comedy writer Jason Hazeley. You can find a special MJT motorway playlist on <a href= "https://open.spotify.com/playlist/10g5NfkmtqWXM316l9NJ8x?si=YoZQbIJiRKiWXyAx8iU4ww&nd=1&dlsi=c2e9748ac0df4330"> Spotify</a>, compiled by Jason, Ros, producer David Turnbull and listeners. Readings are by David Turnbull . Ernest Davies, MP for Enfield, spoke about the <a href= "https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1957-07-22/debates/e337a98f-2d21-4130-8b13-403e7188282c/RoadsProgramme">need for motorways</a> in 1957 and R Gresham Cooke (Twickenham) discussed <a href= "https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1958-07-29/debates/1aa57b06-e383-4362-b50e-cf8ee9248252/SpecialRoads"> speed limits</a> in 1958. I drew on Motorways (James Drake, H L Yeadon and D I Evans, Faber & Faber, 1969), On Roads (Joe Moran, Profile Books, 2009) and Always a Welcome - the glove compartment history of the motorway service area (David Lawrence, Between Books). The <a href= "https://ukmotorwayarchive.ciht.org.uk/about-us/">Motorway Archive</a> contains a vast amount of detail. The National Express '<a href= "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IE4ynayeTM">Elaine</a>' and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIIUqELYhw4">Trusthouse Forte</a> ads are on YouTube. The BBC broadcast a <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcPpgiK4-T8">documentary</a> in 1969 on The Cost of Motorways. Egon Ronay's service station reviews are available <a href= "https://motorwayservices.uk/Egon_Ronay">here</a>. Donate to More Jam Tomorrow at <a href= "https://ko-fi.com/morejamtomorrow">Ko-fi.com</a>.