Reference
Hi/PH1
Title
Improvement Division: Road Improvement Schemes
Admin/biog history
This Series (PH1) consists of a deposit of over 8,500 photographs (after weeding) with some accompanying plans relating to Highways projects - construction of by-passes, relief roads and new estate roads; improvements to existing roads (e.g. reconstruction of bridges, roundabouts, motorway works etc) - in the period 1972-1988. The photographs, mainly, black and white, chart the progress of projects from start to completion (including opening ceremonies) and exact dates are given.
The value of the series as historical evidence is manifold. Apart form the technical use of showing aspects of road and bridge maintenance, constuction and drainage in great detail for the period concerned, the architectural and landscape evidence recorded incidentally is of great significance. There are many views showing tracts of countryside and townscape and depicting buildings, land use, extent of development and layout for areas adjacent to and adjoining the project sites or affected by the projects.
The original grouping of the photographs has been retained and the sub-numbering of each project reflects that fact. The number of photographs is recorded in parenthesis after each entry, slides being indicated by the abbreviation "sl" after the relevant number. A summary list of the projects or scheme follows
Hi/PH1/1 Kempston Southern Relief Road (1982-1984)
2 Ampthill Maulden bypass (1982-1983)
3 Luton East Circular Road - (1976-1982)
Southern Section
4 Eaton Bray Crossroads B489/B4506 (1987-1988)
5 Marston Moretaine bypass (1985-1987)
6 Bromham Bypass (1982-1987)
7 Kempston-Woburn Rd. Industrial Estate (1982)
8 Biggleswade-London Road. Industrial site (1986-1987)
9 Luton East Circular Rd. - bridgeworks over (1979-1980)
main line railway
10 Luton East Circular Road. cental section (1975-1978)
11 Luton Inner Ring Road Phase II (1972-1975)
12 Luton Inner Ring Road Phase III (1978-1981)
13 Barford Hill A428 (1973-1975)
14 Wilstead A6 bypass (1973-1978)
15 Sandy A1 Roundabout (1981-1982)
16 Bedford - Reconstruction of Ampthill Rd (A6) (1984-1986)
17 Elstow bypass (1981-1984)
18 Toddington - Northbound slip road (1984-1985)
M1 Services area
19 Silsoe - A6 bypass (1977-1980)
20 Biggleswade - junction of A1 and A6001 (1978-1979)
21 Bedford - widening of A6 at Clapham Road (1977-1980)
22 Barton - A6 cutting (1976-1977)
23 Stagsden - construction of Ducksworth (1975)
diversion
24 Leighton Buzzard Inner Relief Road (1975-1976)
25 Leighton Linslade - Ouzel Bridge (1975-1976)
26 Toddington - new lorry park, M1 (1976-1977)
27 M1 Northbound inside lane - surfacing (1975)
techniques
28 Stewartby - Wootton Green (1975)
Crossroads improvement scheme
29 C219 Dunstable Road Caddington Hill to A5 (1973)
30 Bedford - Minor works (Chaucer Road/
St. Marys /Ampthill Rd/London Road
roundabout, and Clapham Rd A6 Roundabout (1976)
31 Clophill bypass (1975-1976)
32 Flitwick Industrial estate Phase III (1984-1985)
33 Bedford - reconstruction of Britannia Rd (1984)
roundabout
34 Flitwick Industrial Estate - access roads and (1975-1976)
surrounds
35 Elstow wheelwash installation area and (1983)
access road
36 Milton Keynes Link Road to Junction 13 M1 (1982-1984)
37 Clophill - improvements to the Eagles Bend (1985-1986)
(A507)
Reference
Level of description
series