Driving Spaces

Peter Merriman is a Lecturer in Human Geography at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. His research focuses on mobility and social theory, spaces of driving, and cultures of landscapes in twentieth century Britain. His work has been published in a range of edited collections and international journals, including Journal of Historical Geography, Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, Cultural Geographies and Theory, Culture and Society.

• List of Figures ixSeries Editors’ Preface xiiAcknowledgements xiii1 Introduction: Driving Spaces 1Mobilities 4Driving, Space, Social Relations 6Driving, Landscape, Visuality 12Geographies of the Modern Road 16Contents of the Book 202 Envisioning British Motorways 23Motoring and the Motor-Car Way, 1896–1930 24The German Autobahnen: The Politics and Aesthetics of a Nation’s Roads 31Motorways for Britain? National Plans, National Defence 38Motorways, War and Reconstruction 43Motorways and the British Landscape 463 Designing and Landscaping the M1 60Legislating and Campaigning: Towards a National Motorway Network 61Locating the M1: Regional Planning, Local Protests and the Authority of the Engineer 67Landscape Architecture and the Post-war, Modern Road 73‘A New Look at the English Landscape’: Landscape Architecture, Movement and the Aesthetics of a Modern Motorway 83Towards a Road Style: Service Areas in the Landscape 90‘Cutting Holes in the Landscape’: Britain’s Motorway Signs 974 Constructing the M1 103‘Operation Motorway’: Constructing the M1 Motorway 104Song of a Road: Folk Song, Working-Class Culture and the Labour of a Motorway 1245 Driving, Consuming and Governing the M 1 141Motorway Driving, Embodiment, Competence 143‘Motorway Madness’: Driving, Governing, Expertise 152Motorway Modern: Consuming the M 1 162Motorway Service Areas and the Motorist-Consumer 178Assessing the M1’s Performance: Cost-Benefit Analysis, Scientific Experiments, Accidents 1866 Motorways and Driving since the 1960s 200The ‘M1 Corridor’ 202Motorways and ‘the Environment’ 204Dystopian and Marginal Landscapes? 208Placeless Environments? 210Placing the M1 in the Late Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries 213Appendix: Archival Sources 219Notes 224References 246Index 285

"While I wish that he had synthesized his research in a strong conclusion, this criticism should not diminish the merits of the book. The empirical results and the study's framework deserve a firm place in the history of technology." (Technology & Culture, 1 January 2011) "Merriman’s systematic, detailed and precisely documented description of the cultural context of the M1 will itself stand as a valuable documentary resource for researchers and students alike" (Area, December 2008)"Thoroughly researched and full of rich … Driving Spaces presents the historical trajectory of the M1 Motorway through a series of cultural and political stages." (Journal of British Studies, October 2008)“Merriman provides a fascinating perspective on the social and cultural aspects of driving and highways … in this multidisciplinary study. Includes … numerous references … .Recommended.” (Choice)