London's Lost Ringways

[kurumi]

https://www.worksinprogress.co/issue/londons-lost-ringways/

Article with maps and photos about the 1960s-era Ringways project, which would have added 478 miles of motorway including three concentric rings around central London.

From the article:

[Road Hog]

Looks like Ringway 3 most closely matches today's Orbital (the M25), of which referencing to it as the Orbital appears to date myself.

Which was built on mostly-rural land back in the 1960s and 1970s.

[on_wisconsin]

[english si]

Looks like Ringway 3 most closely matches today's Orbital (the M25)

between junction 22 and near junction 4 it is the line of Ringway 3. The other (slightly larger half) is mostly on the line of Ringway 4 - though parts take a different alignment than in the originally planned one, and it's not just the tie-ins that are different.

of which referencing to it as the Orbital appears to date myself.

Still put on new signs at the entrances.

Which was built on mostly-rural land back in the 1960s and 1970s.

Two key reasons:
1) gaps were left from earlier plans made during WW2.
2) the Green Belt stopped further development in that area anyway, pushing it further out.

[kirbykart]

This thread reminded me of a great website if you want to learn about the roads of the UK. It's called roads.org.uk, and they have extensive articles on London's ringways. They also have great information about practically everything related to Britain's road network.

[abefroman329]

This thread reminded me of a great website if you want to learn about the roads of the UK. It's called roads.org.uk, and they have extensive articles on London's ringways. They also have great information about practically everything related to Britain's road network.

patheticmotorways.co.uk is another good one - though the focus is mainly on unfinished motorways