MT 111/65

Traffic observation: aerial filming; use of helicopters over west London.

Date range	1964-1966
Location	National Archives (see all files stored here)
Catalogue	See entry
File base	Series MT, subseries MT 111

Context

In early May 1964 the West London Traffic Control Experiment (of which more at MT 111/61) was getting underway and the MOT officials were looking for ways to monitor traffic on the streets of London in order to evaluate the effect their work was having.

One idea was to get a literal overview of the whole area in a helicopter, to see patterns of parked vehicles, where queues built up and how platoons of vehicles moving through the streets affected traffic flow. This file documents the various ways they attempted to do that, with varying results.

In April 1965 the AA were kind enough to take some Ministry officials over West London in their spotter plane, but the real fun begins when the Royal Aircraft Establishment is engaged to provide a helicopter for filming platoon behaviour - this whole exercise, spanning more than a year, appears to have been something of a farce, from the spiralling costs and the impossible aims they had for filming, through to the trouble they encountered trying to play back the film.

Links to other files

MT 111/61 Management Committee: management reports to Minister of Transport. with plans. (1965-1966)

MT 111/66 Traffic observation: test vehicle (mobile lab); maintenance, hiring, repairs, plating; for use in west London area (1965-1970)

MT 111/68 WLTCE Working Party: minutes of meetings 1-31 (1965-1968)

People with camera copies

Chris Marshall has a partial copy.