M1 motorway, Controlled-access highway between London and Leeds, Great Britain.
The M1 is a controlled-access highway linking London and Leeds, running through eleven counties such as Hertfordshire, Leicestershire, and West Yorkshire. It spans more than 190 miles and intersects with other main routes like the M25 and the A1.
The first section opened in 1959, initially connecting junctions 5 and 18. Over the following decades, the highway was gradually extended northward until it reached Leeds.
The construction of M1 transformed the way British people traveled, introducing a new era of rapid transit between cities and regions across England.
The route offers several service areas with fuel stations, restaurants, and restrooms distributed along its length. Electronic signs provide current speed limits and traffic conditions.
This route forms part of the European route E13 network. When it opened, it became the first inter-urban motorway in the United Kingdom.
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