Dave Arquati wrote:
Earl Purple wrote:
Well, 600 homes were demolished to build the Westway, and their
surviving neighbours in some places were as close to the motorway
as 7 metres. North Kensington suffered extensive blight,
pollution and disruption during construction - all in an
already-deprived area. Prices for those properties closest to the
Westway are still depressed as those properties still experience
noise, visual and atmospheric pollution.


So maybe not the greatest location for homes, but there's always
offices and industrial estates. Many of the companies close to the
elevated M4 benefit from being able to advertise free from their
buildings.

I doubt that's a benefit worth factoring in when you build a new
road. "I'm afraid we're demolishing the houses next door to put in
a six-lane motorway, but it's OK because you can put a big advert
on the side of your house..."

I always thought that fixed adverts next to motorways weren't allowed on
safety grounds, and that this explains why our motorways generally
aren't lined with adverts, in contrast to some other countries. But
this rule, if it exists, doesn't seem to apply to the elevated section
of the M4, where not only are buildings used as advertising hoardings,
but purpose-built advert towers have been erected on land beside the A4
to distract drivers on the M4. Anyone know if such a rule exists?
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)