MT 47/497

Trunk roads: examination of specific improvement schemes; Greater London Council Western Avenue extension (stages 1 and 2)

Date range	1962-1972
Location	National Archives (see all files stored here)
Catalogue	See entry
File base	Series MT, subseries MT 47

Context

This file deals with the Western Avenue Extension Stages I and II, better known to you and me as the Westway and West Cross Route as built in West London in the late 1960s. This was a local authority scheme, prepared by the London County Council and built by its successor the Greater London Council, but as with all road projects the Ministry of Transport kept a close eye on proceedings. This is the Ministry's file.

Within this sturdy folder are multiple smaller beige card files, each containing correspondence on a different specific topic relating to the project. Most of them are administrative and deal with things like the issue of payments to contractors and the resolution of minor legal problems.

A few are more interesting, including:

• Delays to the GLC's claim for payment, for uncertain reasons, though the GLC's lack of administrative efficiency has come up in many other files too.
• Cracks in the deck structure before the elevated road had been finished.
• Intriguing references to travelators being installed at Shepherd's Bush Roundabout, though not enough information to work out where they were or if they were ever actually there on the ground.
• How the land under the motorway was leased to RBKC for community use.

People with camera copies

Chris Marshall has a partial copy.