Ringways References

This is an experiment into how references might be collated and published for the Ringways articles. The references will not be placed on the pages themselves, to avoid it becoming too academic and even less readable, but instead will be collated here, with each key point in the text married up with its source.

Background

Early plans

New Road opened ca. 1756
Royal Commission on London Traffic: SJ 16

Rees Jeffreys' ring road proposal: SJ 16 has outline only

Traffic Board for London: SJ 16

Arterial Routes built by 1930s

Highway Development Survey 1937: SJ 16 has outline

Wartime plans

The County of London Plan, 1943: See County of London Plan (1943)

The Greater London Plan, 1944: See Greater London Plan (1944)

Post-war and beyond

Proposal to reverse roles of A and B rings: MT 95/86 discusses little else

Land for road construction not protected

M1 to terminate near Marble Arch: MT 112/67 & SJ 15

Motorway Box replaces A- and B-rings

Eastern side was pre-existing road proposal

LCC plans and omission of Motorway Box

West Cross Route planning status in 1962: West Cross Route: Interim Report on Stage I (1962) - document is dated April 1962

GLC purpose included planning of road network

Consultants brought in to assist GLC with planning: Letter from GLC to MoT (London Highways Division), 3 September 1968, held at MT 106/299

GLC unhappy with use of Abercrombie terminology

GLC's overall plan and timescale: HLG 159/572 has full timescale, and costs the scheme at £1.7bn

Evening Standard report with incorrect cost and rehousing numbers: Evening Standard 26/05/66, "That motorway box 'could cost £3000m'"

Camden suggesting higher capacity on North Cross Route

Epilogue

Correspondence between Ministry and GLC: T 319/1842 has memos in 1969 asking about "killing the whole project"

Estimate of cost at 1970: T 319/1842 has the GLC estimating £1,700m

GLDP as biggest inquiry in British history

Protest groups set up in South West London: The Borough News 16/10/70; p. 16 "Putney Motorway Action Group formed"; Further items to be added to this list.

Grove Park Group's analysis and report

Coalition of South London councils: Clapham Observer 11/02/72; "Councils combine to fight M-way 'madness'"

Barnes Motorway Action Group newspaper spread: Putney and Roehampton Herald 02/07/70 (held at Wandsworth Local History Service)

Layfield Report decision on Ringway 1: HLG 159/626 has the full decision on transport

DoE memo to Treasury recommending Layfield's proposals: T 319/2655

Government policy on Motorway Box: T 319/2655

Leaks in Sunday Times and Private Eye

T 319/2655 has details - specific editions are:

Sunday Times 11/02/1973; "The Motor Car Wins its Biggest Victory"

Sunday Times 18/02/1973; "Full Cabinet approves London's Motorway Box"

Private Eye 23/02/1973

Treasury memo puts Ringway 1 "out of the question": T 319/2655 includes memo dated 20/02/1973 from Diana Seammen to Mr Howard, stating "the Inner Motorway Box will never be implemented"