UK’s longest road stretches 410 miles and connects two historic cities

Motorway[1] driving can often feel like you're on the longest road ever - but one road in the UK holds that title The A1 stretches for 410 miles (660 kilometres) and connects London with Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh[2]. The mammoth road starts at St Paul's Cathedral in London and snakes its way north to Auld Reekie[3]. The A1 ends at the old Craighall junction where it meets the A720 bypass and it loses its trunk road status.

The journey from start to finish traverses Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and Northumberland.

When drivers cross the border into Scotland they travel through Berwick-upon-Tweed, Dunbar, Haddington and Musselburgh before hitting Edinburgh[6], reports the Express[7]. The A1 follows the path of the Great North Road[8], a historic coaching route dating back to Roman times.

It was the primary road linking London to the north of England and Scotland. It was given the name of A1 as it was the first numbered road and deemed the most important. Numbering our roads was a system devised in the early 1920s and was based around patterns of roads radiating from two hubs at London and Edinburg[9]h.

As you would expect from one of the UK's most important roads, traffic can be a major issue. While approaching London and major cities like Leeds and Newcastle on it's route, the A1 experiences heavy congestion, increasing the travel time for motorists[10]. Because of this, continuous upgrades are carried out to improve safety and reduce congestion.

Recent works include bypasses and junction improvements. Some stretches are planned for further modernisation to meet growing transportation[11] needs. A spokesperson on the National Highways website says: "The A1 takes the route of the Great North Road, the main highway connecting the capital cities of England and Scotland.

The A1 covers 410 miles and is the longest numbered road in the UK. The importance of this connection is why it was given the number '1' when it became Britain's first numbered road in 1921. "The A1 not only connects the UK, but is also part of a key route providing access to international destinations.

It links several airports, including Heathrow and Stansted, as well as vital trade ports such as Felixstowe. "Passing through 17 counties and supporting many businesses that flourish alongside it, the A1 is an essential corridor, used by commuters, hauliers and holiday makers alike." The A1 may be the longest road at 410 miles but these motorways are hot on its heels:

2. A38 - Cornwall to Nottinghamshire: 310 Miles (499 km)

3. A30 - London to Land's End: 284 Miles (457 km)

4. A6 - Luton to Carlisle: 282 Miles (454 km)

5. A9 - Falkirk to Thurso: 279 Miles (449 km)

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References

1. ^ Motorway (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
2. ^ Edinburgh (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
3. ^ Auld Reekie (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
4. ^ Free bus travel update for people over State Pension age and those with disabilities (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
5. ^ New calls to increase personal tax allowance from GBP12,570 to GBP45,000 (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
6. ^ Edinburgh (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
7. ^ Express (www.express.co.uk)
8. ^ A1 follows the path of the Great North Road (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
9. ^ Edinburg (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
10. ^ motorists (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
11. ^ transportation (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)
12. ^ Sign up to our daily newsletter (www.dailyrecord.co.uk)