12 Interesting and Amazing Motorway Facts That You Didn't Know

#infrastructure #pubquiz #motorway
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Watch this video in the toilets of your local and you'll be sure to win any pub quiz.... That happens to ask one of these 12 questions... it probably wont help you in the music round.
Enjoy your learning experience as I fire through 12 awesome facts about UK motorways that you probably knew already but that's not how clickbait titles work so....

[@416GSI]

Who was the first person to break down on a motorway in the UK? = Answer my mother. She was one of 2 drafts-women at Lancaster County Council working on the Preston by-pass. After the Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan, opened the road on the 5th of December 1958 the design staff were invited to try the road out before it opened to the general public. Sadly my mums car broke down before she could finish the 8-mile trip. Apparently, the car was never the same again.

[@daveanderson70]

Never mind a pub quiz, this should be added to the national curriculum.

[@joncurtis199]

Watching auto shananigans should be compulsory.

[@trainsarecool190]

More useful than PE

[@circadianizzy]

You learn something new twice a week with this channel! Unless either you learn multiple things per video, or you already know everything...

[@stevenhawkins179]

Quality content. How you're not at 100k subscribers by now is beyond me! Keep 'em coming.

[@Hetpust]

as the construction of the network motorways, slowly gaining

[@EdgyNumber1]

His channel has been slowly but persistently growing 👍

[@TheOracle65]

I feel supremely enlightened to know how long the UK motorways are in CHAINS! Knowing this, I’m ready for anything, thanks John!

[@KeyboardsGray]

I watched this video as if it was a rapid-fire pub quiz and got five correct answers, proving that I’m really paying attention to John’s excellent videos! ❤

[@MrRipsaw1]

OMG!! I'm on a first date tonight, and YES!! I want to guarantee success with my latest (potential) love interest. Watched 3 times, learnt all the facts and I now feel ready and inspired for a great evening (and night) ahead. Thank you in advance Jon. What could possibly got wrong?

[@willtricks9432]

Who is your date, Mark Harper?

[@Mike-H_UK]

Good luck! Not that you will need it with Jon's recommended chat-up lines.

[@TheGiff7]

You missed the steepest motorway in the U.K. This is the M2 in Northern Ireland. The section between junctions 2 and 4 hits 1:15 at several points and depending on your gearing your speed dramatically drops off. Junction 3 at Bellevue was never built as the slip roads on either side would have been too steep and short to allow joining and exiting the motorway safely. Also this ensured that the pub (Bellevue Arms) was not demolished.

[@philedwards2679]

Great video John, can't wait to get down the pub on Friday night and impress the ladies with my newfound knowledge of motorways.👍 😂

[@k.r.baylor8825]

Chicks always dig a guy who can reel off motorway stats whilst being seduced. A lot of booze helps, too.

[@leepritchard8029]

Not only was that a fact filled burst of information but also a great excuse to go to the pub in search of a quiz that asks such questions. Cheers 🍺

[@KaitlynnUK]

I am much more complete as a person after having watched this video, and feel well armed for any pub quiz or small talk in a bar with a love interest.

[@stevekelly5166]

I knew one of them and the interview panel knew none between them, so I've just been promoted to Chief of Highways England. I'll name an interchange after you as I learnt everything I know from this channel.

[@AndrewG1989]

You should do more videos on major A roads including A14, A55, A47, A12, A127, A27, A31, A30, A9, A90 and other A roads in the UK.

[@Mike-H_UK]

Jon - following your excellent example at Christmas, I bought my wife's birthday present at Northampton Service Station, and she went mad. I didn't even get any credit for the wrapping paper, partly because she is no longer speaking to me. What did I do wrong? Should I have tried Newport Pagnell services instead? Some say that it is a bit more classy.

[@McGubbins42]

Everyone knows the best presents are found at Tebay and Gloucester services.

[@Mike-H_UK]

@@McGubbins42 Yeah. I remember Jon talking about the farm shop at Gloucester, but he said that it was overpriced...

[@NonFatMead]

@@Mike-H_UK To be fair, anything at a motorway service station is overpriced.

[@nst1981]

Nice bit of GranTurismo at the end

[@SD1fruitbat]

Yep. GT menu music. But which one? (I don't know, that's why I'm asking)

[@AutoShenanigans]

GT4... the best GT ever. Fight me.

[@peterturner8766]

Part of the M23 construction took place in East Sussex in the early 1970s. However, by the time it opened in 1975, the boundary between East and West Sussex had moved from just east of Crawley to just east of East Grinstead. West Sussex also extended north to include Gatwick Airport (previously in Surrey). Had those boundary changes not happened it would have been West Sussex, not East Sussex that had no motorway. The same boundary change exercise also conferred country status on the Isle of Wight which, prior to that, was part of Hampshire and would thus not have been a county with no motorway.

[@acciid]

Now that's good general knowledge. You win.

[@sydnorth5868]

I didn't know that the Isle of Wight was a country! Is it represented at the UN in its own right? And more to the point(less) has anyone told Xander and Richard?

[@nathanw9770]

West Sussex is a greedy bastard

[@paulguy2545]

I am looking forward to you covering the M53 Motorway (in my neck of the woods) which begins in Wallasey where the W’sey Tunnel A59 Tunnel Approach ends, and the M53 begins & ends meeting the start of the A55 at Hoole (South of Ellsmere Port).

[@philtucker1224]

Hi John, I immediately felt challenged following your claim that I didn’t know any of those twelve facts so I commenced this video with an attitude of “I’ll show him”.. however I must now put my hands up and say “John, you were absolutely right” but I still don’t understand how these clearly essential facts have slipped my otherwise extensive and far reaching knowledge bank. Subsequently I bow to you sir! 🙏😁

[@shaunsanders5401]

When the A30 through Goss Moor and Fraddon in Cornwall was upgraded to dual carriageway in the 1990s, my uncle always called it the motorway. It might not have had M designation but to him, it was a bit of motorway in Cornwall.

[@xr6lad]

The strange thing is what doesn’t get called a motorway in Britain due to some slight downgrade (emergency lanes missing or not as wide or some small other detail but in all other respects are Grade separated motorways) DO get called motorways or freeways in other countries. To me if it’s dual lane, travels for a long enough distance, is totally Grade separated and you can do a reasonable speed on it I’d call it one as well.

[@IAMPLEDGE]

@@xr6lad none of the factors you have mentioned are what determines if something is a motorway. It comes down to factors including, but not a comprehensive list: No learners, no pedestrians, no cyclists, no motorbikes under a certain cc (50 I think), no horse drawn vehicles. The simplest distinction was that motorways were the first roads in the UK to de designed specifically for motorised transport (cars, vans, lorries, coaches etc.). And we all know most UK motorways don't have emergency lanes any more since they because stupid (sorry, smart) motorways.

[@Nav1g8r1]

Yeah, one of my cousins felt that the new A69 and the A189/A19 should be motorway in Northumberland... Budget cuts though. (ignoring the woeful A1 to Scotland)

[@bfapple]

1:42 we almost had the A14(M) opening in 2020, but it was re-designated as an "expressway".

[@KidarWolf]

Oh good, I'm glad I'm not the only one who remembered the promise of it being the A14(M). I wonder what precipitated the decision to backtrack on that and instead call it an expressway?

[@bfapple]

@@KidarWolf The given reason was that they wanted to open the Huntingdon bypass early, and the motorway paperwork would have precluded this.

[@KidarWolf]

@@bfapple Ah, okay - something to do with grade separating crossings being an issue, presumably? I regularly go along that stretch of the A14 between Cambridge and Kettering, and I remember there's quite a few areas that don't maintain the necessary grade separation for access for motorway status - I'm guessing that's a result of rushing the Huntingdon Bypass early, and so not completing necessary changes?

[@AutoShenanigans]

"Expressway" is the cheapest way to get a motorway, without getting a motorway. Hard shoulders are usually missing or too narrow to meet "motorway specification." I also assume a lot easier/quicker to get through planning etc.

[@ianhelps3749]

Did you know that the shortest motorway in Europe is in Romania a whole 1 metre long. Somebody built it as a protest against the lack of motorway construction in the country.

[@smogmonster1876]

You should be on TV John. The BBC should reinvent Top Gear and put you and somebody like twin come on as presenters. It would be infinitely more interesting programme than what it currently is.

[@JamesH55]

I loves this stuff

[@DAFPvnk]

the lack of motorways in East Anglia is why it sucks going to Norwich. the fastest roads out that way are Dual Carriageways with no shoulders or even refuge areas so as soon as something goes wrong you can guarantee a long queue of traffic.

[@WonkoTheSaneUK]

#13 - The M4 is both the most southerly AND northerly motorway in Wales.

[@SaulidSnake]

M48 is the most northerly one in Cymru.

[@Jer0nim0]

I think you should have had a countdown time after each question and made it a guessing game. Endless hours of fun for all the family. 😆

[@marksmith1944]

Thanks Jon for that, really interesting stuff.👍🌟. I will use these questions in stages the next time I’m making my long journey from Ringwood in Hampshire up to the Lake District in Cumbria. I won’t let my fellow passengers knowing that I got these facts from you Jon ( sorry 😜😊) , Take care, looking forward to your next footage. Keep safe & warm 🥃🥃

[@stevekelly5166]

Make sure you put the child locks on the doors so nobody can get out. Maybe take the fuses out of the electrickery windows too. Then again you might tell me you drive a MegaBus - now 70 passengers in your self-imposed quiz might become a national emergency. And what if one of the passengers is a subcriber to Jon's channel?

[@RichardSammels-Moore]

It should. Definitely. I have another question. Which motorway junction has the most possible exits?

[@nathanw9770]

Gravelly Hill Junction in Birmingham I think.

[@ringo4419]

Brilliant

[@demmc9121]

Just brilliant, thanks John

[@HighMiler330d]

This is just the info i needed on a wednesday before bed.

[@minibus9]

awesome video

[@danielmarshall4587]

Thank you for those facts, a great help.

[@sonofsupernova3455]

You should sell a motorway quiz book. I’d buy it twice.

[@LeClaw]

1971.4 miles spread across 50 motorways and I've probably driven them all at some point as a courier in the last 6 years 😁(save for the m6 toll....that can go play with itself)

[@Volvoman90]

Gran Turismo 4 Home music for the outro? Bonus points for you my friend! :D

[@weeblbob233]

I have no idea what to do with this knowledge now other than go to a Pub and forget it.

[@mrc7478]

An absolutely relentless fact onslaught. I needed that. Thanks.

[@captainboing]

Yay! Pub quiz!!! At the end of ELOs 1977 hit "Mr. BlueSky" in the closing seconds of the outro, what does the "robot" voice say and why... No googling

[@millstonebarn]

Absolutely brilliant. I knew at least two of these answers due to watching Jon's previous content. (Spoiler: M62)

[@AlanEvans789]

Same here, again thanks to the recent M62 video.

[@euantelford]

Look forward to you covering Scottish motorways

[@alanj9391]

That'll make for a very short video 😃

[@finh7201]

Loved this one adam!

[@Soggymoggy42]

Absolute legend at work 🔥🔥🔥

[@SightsWithSteve]

That was wicked, sweet. Awesome!

[@avocado71]

Superb!

[@frankupton5821]

For Most Boring Motorway I nominate the A1(M) in Yorkshire. It just goes on and on and on in a straight line. Romanos culpo ad vias rectas.

[@stevec1097]

Simply brilliant 😁

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Hmmm i may take a few of these for my works teambuilding quiz on a Thursday 😂😂

[@jimadams7765]

Always interesting and amazing.

[@johnoblein4592]

One more for the pub quiz. Which UK Police Force area has the most miles of Motorway? (Excluding A(M) roads, Thames Valley Police has the M4, M40 and a bit of M1 and M25) I hope this is still correct as we used to trot this fact out regularly as members of the Force.

[@fluffymitten]

I pulled , got a new job and made new friends after watching this video, His claims work!

[@AutoShenanigans]

You're welcome

[@chrisblay]

Interesting as always.

[@mercedes_and_more]

I surprised myself and got 7 of those answers correct as you were reading the question! 😂😂

[@adriansmusic2445]

Thanks for that!! :)

[@tobyjackman3212]

This is the best video I've ever seen about anything

[@RosskoPeeko]

Love the gran turismo audio at the end that took me right back. Also motorways confuse me. The first one built was the M6 and there is 50 of them but one motorway is called the M62.

[@AutoShenanigans]

Yes it's an odd numbering system based on geographical zones. I'll make a video about it at some point.

[@RosskoPeeko]

@@AutoShenanigans look forward too it. Loving the motorway series.

[@supertouring22]

Top content.

[@jamestanton7424]

Quizzing tonight. Perfect timing. All duly noted

[@jamesabbott5242]

Awesome video

[@goddam9925]

I feel enlightened !!

[@jonchilds1637]

Brilliant - and quite possibly the ultimate no bullsh… KZbin video!! 🎉

[@joeweston3252]

interesting and useful john top stuff as always

[@AutoShenanigans]

thanks a lot mate!

[@UK.RoadsCyclingandTransport]

Smashing video mate

[@nathanw9770]

The Isle of Wight and Rutland also share the fact of having one dual carriageway. The A1 in Rutland and the A3020 in the Isle of Wight.

[@peteryoung4957]

Very interesting stuff. You're going to be busy for a while, with plenty of motorways still to visit. 😀

[@DiernTenory]

As a resident of the Isle of Wight. Whoop whoop, we got mentioned. We do have a single, short, dual carriageway though.

[@SouthernNorthener2]

Suffolk does have a motorway - part of the M11

[@robertbuckley2429]

I have a motorway fact about Norfolk, Suffolk, Dorset, Cornwall and East Sussex. Bournemouth is the only location in Dorset to appear on M3 & M27 motorway signs, Truro is the only location in Cornwall to appear on M5 motorway signs, Brandon, Elveden, Thetford and Ipswich are the only locations in Suffolk to appear on M11 motorway signs, Norwich is the only location in Norfolk to also appear on M11 motorway signs and Brighton is the only location in East Sussex to appear on M23 motorway signs.

[@Anmeteor9663]

Better than a pub quiz, use this as the basis for your speed dating questions. Guaranteed to be a winner in love if the subject can answer these correctly. ❤❤❤🎉

[@maikelwarmerdam8911]

A pub quiz? Never got that one, Aren't you supposed to go to the pub and talk with your friends and about-to-be friends instead of answering questions? Great vid tough!

[@alastairoxby8037]

The pub quiz is an activity you do with your friends.

[@Hetpust]

cooooomprezzed knowledge

[@bladeofzorro1932]

Ah, but the pub quiz is all based on music.lets hope I get the Highway to hell question.

[@Phuc_Yhou]

That was like an espresso for my inner geek! Ta and Thanking you

[@surfblue63]

I can see the people of Wales being upset with the most southerly and northerly motorway questions.

[@JP_TaVeryMuch]

I can see the people of Wales being upset.

[@BeansOnToast_YT]

Thanks for your brevity of delivery, most youtube people wouldn't hesitate when making a list video of five or more points packing it out to at least ten minutes with stock footage and the obligatory stolen clips from "The Wolf of Wall Street". So refreshing to see a motorway video without leonardo dicaprio in it 👍🤣

[@AutoShenanigans]

I can't say I'm a fan of that sort of video.

[@mandysaunders9454]

Got to agree, long waffly videos just to please the algorithm gods are RUBBISH

[@roderickmain9697]

I think East Sussex also only has about 12 mile of dual carriageway. I'm sure this came up in a pub quiz when I lived in Newhaven. Most of what there is would have been part of the Folkestone to Honiton/Exeter motorway (so M27 probably) if it had ever got built.

[@KravKernow]

I yelled "M62!" rather more loudly than was edifying. Twice.

[@template16]

My day is now complete. Just need to find a quiz to use this information.

[@DanRTS]

My god. Imagine a pub quiz with only motorway questions...

[@DJC995]

Nice One The Isle of Wight has a very short duel carriage way 🤣we pretend it's a motor way 🤣 Thanks again

[@thesloaneranger1]

The M898 - it may be short, but theres still always someone who sits in the wrong lane. Every single day.

[@joeweston3252]

Thanks

[@TheSadButMadLad]

I didn't know that. Now I do.

[@dennisphoenix1]

Some useful information duly noted 😂

[@Dan23_7]

I’m using this to get beeatches. Cheers John 👍🏼

[@Craig-wp3pz]

Thank you, I did not know I needed to know it, yet somehow I did....

[@MrAndersie91]

Just to add to that as well, not Mainland U.K though, Co Fermanagh & Co Londonderry in Northern Ireland also dont have any of motorways either lol Also, that Gran Turismo Music at the end.. 👌🏻👌🏻

[@davepoul8483]

that was brill.. :)

[@willtricks9432]

You spoil us sir!

[@sddsddean]

Methinks it would be a highly specialised pub quiz!

[@jangoofy]

Q3 & Q4, you taught us that recently :-)

[@GMac2776]

This was funny. 😂

[@kirkmooneyham]

The total length of all motorways seems so small. The USA has almost 50 thousand miles of interstate highways, the American equivalent of motorways. Even Oahu, Hawaii has roads built to the Interstate standard, though they obviously cannot take anyone to another state. In some regards, though, I found several motorways I drove on to be superior to US Interstates, so I guess it's certainly a quality over quantity thing.

[@lukefosterphoto]

Damn, I got 10/12. Where is said pub quiz about motorways?

[@vexaurora]

wickedsweetawesome

[@TheRetroLab]

Once you have finished with the motorway videos can you do one/some about "C" roads? I have only ever seen one or two in the Lake District so it would be interesting to see if there are any more. :)

[@andyalder7910]

You've actually seen hundreds or thousands of C roads, but only one or two signs with the designation on.

[@PlanetsunofWilf2444]

Request: secrets of the motorway M898

[@AutoShenanigans]

It's on the way.

[@fredericksaxton3991]

Thanks... :)

[@davidellis1355]

Oh the enthusiasm 😛

[@dougsxoom616]

Depending on your definition of a county, Ceremonial or Administrative, there is a case for no motorways in Lincolnshire. If taking Administrative regions, which most maps do, then M180 is in North Lincolnshire, becoming the A180 before making its brief 500m appearance in Lincolnshire. And of course the A1(M) stops at Peterborough heading north so it is just A1 in Lincolnshire (as in Rutland), and doesn't turn back into the A1(M) until Doncaster.