Motorways etc.

[Geoff Bannister]

Follow up to notes on roads in the UK.

Motorways correspond to US freeways. They are totally segregated 
multi-lane dual carriageways with grade separated interchanges. Some 
A class roads are built to the same standards and are recognised by 
(M) in their designation - eg A1(M). M roads have blue backed route 
signs and have numbered junctions. They are usually six-lane but 
some, such as sectiosn of the M25 London Orbital are eight and some 
lightly loaded sections are four lanes.

A roads (first class) fall into two categories - Primary/Trunk which 
are often four-lane dual carriageways and sometimes have grade 
separated junctinos but also have ordinary turnings on to smaller 
roads. These have green-backed signs. Other A class have white backed 
signs and are not part of the main Primary network. There are also B-
class roads and then all others are unclassified.

Some lower category roads can be better than higher rated ones(!) 
When going from my home in Porlock, West Somerset, to Taunton our 
county town, I often use a B-class road over the hills on which I can 
drive at a steady 60 mph and which is far superior to the coastal A 
road.

A (Trunk) and M roads are maintained by the Govermental Highways 
Agency. Other A roads by the first tier local authority (often a 
County Council)and other roads by the second tier local authority.

Geoff