Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1838-1965 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
33.1 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Rapid local development, the tremendous increae in motor transport and national requirements such as Heathrow Airport all greatly influenced the Middlexsex County Council road programme; necessitating new and widened roads and dual carriageways. In the post-war period emphasis was laid upon relief of traffic congestion and reduction of accidents by junction improvements and the construction of pedestrian subways. A policy of landscaping and amenity treatment led to the planting of trees and shrubs and the extensive use of grass verges. Middlesex works undertaken by the Ministry of Transport completed the picture with two motorways, the M1 into Hendon and the M4 connection to London Airport.
The highways pattern for Middlesex stemmed from the radial roads originally built by the Romans - Watling Street to Saint Albans is now Edgware Road; Ermine Street to Lincoln is now Hertford Road and the western road to Silchester is now Staines Road. These radial routes remained of importance and were primarily supplemented by the Great West Road, Western Avenue, Watford and Barnet by-passes and the Great Cambridge Road which, in turn, have been linked by the North Circular Road, which traversed Middlesex from Kew Bridge to the Essex boundary. In 1889 the Council was responsible for 128 miles of road, as compared with 640 miles in 1964.
Repository
Archival history
MCC/CL/L/HY 1838-1965 Collection 33.1 linear metres MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council
Rapid local development, the tremendous increae in motor transport and national requirements such as Heathrow Airport all greatly influenced the Middlexsex County Council road programme; necessitating new and widened roads and dual carriageways. In the post-war period emphasis was laid upon relief of traffic congestion and reduction of accidents by junction improvements and the construction of pedestrian subways. A policy of landscaping and amenity treatment led to the planting of trees and shrubs and the extensive use of grass verges. Middlesex works undertaken by the Ministry of Transport completed the picture with two motorways, the M1 into Hendon and the M4 connection to London Airport.
The highways pattern for Middlesex stemmed from the radial roads originally built by the Romans - Watling Street to Saint Albans is now Edgware Road; Ermine Street to Lincoln is now Hertford Road and the western road to Silchester is now Staines Road. These radial routes remained of importance and were primarily supplemented by the Great West Road, Western Avenue, Watford and Barnet by-passes and the Great Cambridge Road which, in turn, have been linked by the North Circular Road, which traversed Middlesex from Kew Bridge to the Essex boundary. In 1889 the Council was responsible for 128 miles of road, as compared with 640 miles in 1964.
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Legal Department relating to highways, 1838-1965, including papers regarding extensions to the Great West Road and Western Avenue; papers relating to the acquisition of land for road improvements; papers regarding the North Circular Road; papers regarding road building schemes implemented for unemployment relief; papers relating to the acquisition of the Duke of Northumberland's River; files relating to compulsory purchase orders and Acquisition of Land Committee register of properties. Also general files on a variety of subjects including illumination of traffic signs; automatic traffic control signals; pedestrian crossings; pollution of rivers; passenger charges schemes; the Operation of Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950; contracts and tenders for the maintenance of trunk and county roads; agreements with the Ministry of Transport and erosion of the banks of the River Thames.
MCC/CL/L/HY-1: General
Available for general access.
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
English
Fit
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
See also reference MCC/CL/HY, Clerk's Department papers relating to Highways and plans at MCC/CL/DP.
For further information on the history of the Middlesex County Council please see Middlesex by Sir Clifford Radcliffe (2 editions, 1939 and 1953), LMA Library reference 97.09 MID; and The County Council of the Administrative County of Middlesex: 76 years of local government, 1 April 1889 to 31 March 1965, by Middlesex County Council (1965), LMA library reference S97.09 MID.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. April to June 2009 Transport infrastructure Pedestrian crossings Urban development Town and country planning Planning control Compulsory purchase orders Compulsory purchase orders (land) Water resources Surface water Rivers Environmental degradation Pollution Water pollution Safety Transport safety Road safety Engineering Maintenance Road maintenance Communication process Information transfer Road signs People People by occupation Personnel Construction industry personnel Road construction workers Transport costs Transport economics Transport Road construction Road engineering Civil engineering Construction engineering Land MCC , Middlesex County Council x Middlesex County Council Clerk's Department , Middlesex County Council Ministry of Transport London England UK Western Europe Isleworth Mill Stream Middlesex Duke of Northumberland's River Thames, river Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Acquired with the records of its parent authority, the Middlesex County Council, and with successor authorities.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Middlesex County Council Clerk's Legal Department relating to highways, 1838-1965, including papers regarding extensions to the Great West Road and Western Avenue; papers relating to the acquisition of land for road improvements; papers regarding the North Circular Road; papers regarding road building schemes implemented for unemployment relief; papers relating to the acquisition of the Duke of Northumberland's River; files relating to compulsory purchase orders and Acquisition of Land Committee register of properties. Also general files on a variety of subjects including illumination of traffic signs; automatic traffic control signals; pedestrian crossings; pollution of rivers; passenger charges schemes; the Operation of Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950; contracts and tenders for the maintenance of trunk and county roads; agreements with the Ministry of Transport and erosion of the banks of the River Thames.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
MCC/CL/L/HY-1: General
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to these records rests with the Corporation of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
See also reference MCC/CL/HY, Clerk's Department papers relating to Highways and plans at MCC/CL/DP.
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English