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| 50 years of UK motorways marked | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The 50th anniversary of the opening of the first stretch of motorway in the UK is being marked - by the opening of the latest bit of the M6. | |
| In 1958, the Preston bypass was unveiled with no speed limit. | In 1958, the Preston bypass was unveiled with no speed limit. |
| Fifty years on, the £174m M6 Carlisle to Guards Mill extension in Cumbria will mark the innovation. | Fifty years on, the £174m M6 Carlisle to Guards Mill extension in Cumbria will mark the innovation. |
| This will close "the Cumberland Gap", enabling motorists to use motorways all the way between southern England and Glasgow. | This will close "the Cumberland Gap", enabling motorists to use motorways all the way between southern England and Glasgow. |
| AA president Edmund King said motorways were a great success story. | AA president Edmund King said motorways were a great success story. |
| "Motorways are five times safer than single lane roads but the accident rate increases when motorways are congested. Motorways have transformed the way we travel." | "Motorways are five times safer than single lane roads but the accident rate increases when motorways are congested. Motorways have transformed the way we travel." |
| In half a century motorways have become the backbone of the UK's road network Lord Adonis Marking anniversary of motorway | In half a century motorways have become the backbone of the UK's road network Lord Adonis Marking anniversary of motorway |
| Work on the M6 extension in Cumbria started in 2006 and the 5.8-mile, three-lane stretch of motorway replaces the A74 dual carriageway road. | |
| Transport Minister Lord Adonis, who will open the new road later, said: "In half a century, motorways have become the backbone of the UK's road network. | |
| "They are the lifelines of the country, making an invaluable contribution to our business and economic needs and they help keep friends and family connected." | "They are the lifelines of the country, making an invaluable contribution to our business and economic needs and they help keep friends and family connected." |
| But government plans to use the hard shoulder on motorways to manage future growth in road traffic have been criticised by the RAC Foundation as inadequate. | |
| In a report, the motoring body said concentrating all road improvements on existing motorways through widening and hard shoulder running was problematic. | |
| Road development should focus on developing the motorway network, it said. | Road development should focus on developing the motorway network, it said. |
| The claim was rejected by a Department for Transport spokesman. | |
| "Motorway trials have already proven that hard shoulder running cuts congestion, smoothes traffic flows and offers more predictable journeys," he said. | |
| The spokesman added that the £6bn investment package announced earlier this year would also fund other measures, such as improvements to junctions and trunk roads, "to provide a safe, reliable and sustainable motorway network for the 21st Century". |