Discussion Groups / British English / January 2006

I suspect the M1 was so called because it was a replacement for the A1,
and you couldn't have an M1 that didn't start in London. Apart from the
M5 (which it's possible was originally conceived a replacement A5,
London to Holyhead, but later re- routed), most of the other early
motorways take the name from the parallel A road.

Paul Burke

In uk.culture.language.english on Tue, 3 Jan 2006 15:01:17 +0000, David M
<david@bogus.domain.dom> wrote:

}Dave Fawthrop wrote in uk.culture.language.english
} about: Re: 1960s motorways
}
}> On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 23:04:31 +0100, "Pawe³ Piotr Stawski"
}><english@stawski.pl> wrote:
}>
}>| Could you tell me if there are any names for your motorways and how they
}>| have changed over years, please?
}>
}> We do not *name* motorways, they are known by their numbers.
}> Roads get names, such as the A1 (Great North Road).  
}
}Actually, that's not entirely true.
}
}The M25 is somewhat pretentiously-entitled "London Orbital Motorway"
}(whatever was wrong with just plain old "ring road"?), and even says
}"M25 London Orbital" on distance signs.

I believe that it got its name from the A25 which it parallels on the
Southern half of the route. The A25 is the only one of the A2, A20, A21,
A22, A23, A24 that does not go to London

The M25 is also as far as I know the only "Orbital" road where if you wish
to go orbitally you have to turn left/right off the M25 or else end up on
the M26/A21

{R}