Paul Terry wrote:
In message ,
Richard J. writes

You can't design a road for "no speed limit whatsoever". Britain's
motorways were generally designed for 70 mph,

There was no speed limit whatsoever for the first six years ... it
was not until 1965, after reports of test drivers reaching nearly
170mph on the M1, that a 70mph limit was introduced on motorways.

I know that, but nevertheless the bends, gradients, sightlines etc. of
British motorways were in general designed for safety at 70 mph (current
design speed 75mph = 120kph).

but it's obvious that the
first bend on the M4 going west was designed to a lower standard.

If you mean the Chiswick flyover, it wasn't even part of the
motorway when it was built in 1959 by Tory transport minister
Ernest Marples' construction company, Marples Ridgway - it was just
a flyover on the A4.

Of course I don't mean the original Chiswick flyover, which doesn't have
any bends! . I mean the first bend on the M4 elevated section, near the
EMC (ex-Data General) clock tower. See
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.sr...&z=1&st=4&ar=Y
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)