The 50th Anniversary of the M1 will be marked with a special plaque near Toddington Services at 2.30pm Monday 2 November.
The 50th Anniversary of the M1 will be marked with a special plaque near Toddington Services at 2.30pm Monday 2 November.
It is situated on the Old Park Farm overbridge, which is between the Toddington Service Area and M1 Junction 12 - nearest post code LU5 6HP The bridge can be accessed from the B530.
The plaque has been funded by the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), Institution of Highways and Transportation (IHT) and Bedford Civil Engineering Society. It will be unveiled by ICE Vice-President Peter Hansford, IHT President Chris Jackson and Brian Corley the President of Bedford Civil Engineering Society.
The unveiling draws to an end a year of celebrations to mark 50 years of motorways. The UK’s first motorway the Preston By-Pass was opened in November 1958 by Prime Minister Harold MacMillan. The first 61 mile section of the M1 followed a year later and included Britain’s first motorway service area at Watford Gap. Crash barriers started to appear 10 years later.
In the evening for an invited audience at St. Albans District Council there will be a talk by Peter Fells who was involved in both the design and construction of the M1. The Motorway Archive Trust will stage an exhibition related to this section of the M1 which can be viewed from 5.30pm.
For more about the M1 visit:
• www.50yearsofmotorways.org
• www.ukmotorwayarchive.org