How The M11 Motorway Caused A TOWN To Be BUILT BACKWARDS - Harlow Essex

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  • Опубликовано: 18 сен 2024
  • #motorway #infrastructure #harlow
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    Harlow... It's a lovely place. What was once a small village was turned into a mighty new town under a post war government plan. Along with that, there were some new roads to be built, all as part of one massive scheme that predictably didn't go to plan and the result was that it gave us the M11 motorway that we're familiar with and it gave the town of Harlow a bit of a headache.

Комментарии • 289

  • @tims9434
    @tims9434 День назад +230

    3:43 perfect solution. Very informative video

    • @marcin6271
      @marcin6271 День назад +12

      The simplest solutions are often the best ones.

    • @FortuneZer0
      @FortuneZer0 День назад +6

      Finaly someone with the balls to say what needs to be done.

    • @martinperry1843
      @martinperry1843 День назад +6

      That shows he's not using greenscreen effects and he really has been to Harlow

  • @AlexWright-xx4fc
    @AlexWright-xx4fc День назад +138

    Having lived in Harlow from 1971 to 2023, I couldn't agree with the statement at the end more wholeheartedly!

    • @xr6lad
      @xr6lad 23 часа назад

      Yea but it provides homes for people. So why would you demolish it.

    • @stevekelly5166
      @stevekelly5166 22 часа назад

      @@xr6lad Have you wet the bed again? Your boyfriend will be unhappy.

    • @AlicanteTrailCam
      @AlicanteTrailCam 21 час назад

      @@xr6lad Because it's a shithole (mostly).

    • @BCrossing
      @BCrossing 9 часов назад +1

      Congratulations on your newfound freedom

  • @noelht1
    @noelht1 День назад +75

    3:42 Absolutely wise words. I’ve been saying it for the last 50 years

  • @jefffranklin4894
    @jefffranklin4894 День назад +60

    As a former Harlowite (luckily moved to greener pastures in Hertfordshire), I agree with your last statement. I only ever go there now to visit friends and family. Wish that town was just deleted from existence

  • @catlee8064
    @catlee8064 День назад +48

    Ive lived in Harlow most of my life (except going to some small disagreements in the middle east) and i never knew about the routing of the M11 was such a shit show. I knew the traffic blows but didnt know the M11 was in the wrong place. Some lovely drone shots makes it look really nice, get closer and its a dump.

  • @Michelle-michswooddesigns
    @Michelle-michswooddesigns День назад +16

    I absolutely hate driving in Harlow. If there is an accident on the m11 it is an absolute nightmare

    • @pauldupre2269
      @pauldupre2269 23 часа назад

      Hey, that's similar to the outskirts of Exeter & the M5!

  • @alanplom8909
    @alanplom8909 День назад +19

    😂 A short but sweet episode Jon.
    “Demolish Harlow…. completely **** it off“ ! Brilliant idea!!!

  • @youknownothing8226
    @youknownothing8226 День назад +29

    A harsh but fair solution at the end there Jon!

  • @danwiddon3854
    @danwiddon3854 День назад +20

    Jon, brilliant as ever. You could make a series about town planner cockups, but few beat Harlow for scale.😂

  • @williamfence566
    @williamfence566 День назад +20

    We're so lucky in the Uk to have these wise and thoughtful councils

    • @thebrowns5337
      @thebrowns5337 12 часов назад

      Did Highways England (National Highways, The Highways Authority...whatever they decide their name is this week) not exist back then? They plan and maintain the trunk road network. I know people love to blame councils for everything but it's not always the right place. I worked in one for a bit, in the bridges and structures team and even then occasionally got irate people insisting that their water/electric/gas/phone line issue should be rectified by me...they had no clue their bill went to private companies supplying these things. Seriously. Fully grown adults that must have set up some of this stuff and yet thought, and were always insistent, they were paying the council to provide them.

  • @TrevorJohnsMoment
    @TrevorJohnsMoment День назад +16

    At last, a fellow Harlow citizen has become famous! There are so many things you could added. The new junction should have been sited further north and a bypass built to connect directly with the A414 to Hertford, with a short spur to service the industrial areas as well as seriving the vast housing estatesthat going to be built there. But no... then new junction takes traffic through Harlow to a bridge that mucks up the wetlands of the River Stort. Oh, amd road quirks like mine. One side of my road is named differently if you live on the other side of the road. My flats are numbered 206 t0 213 and the the houses next door are numbered 200 to 205 when the numbering continues from 214. Net result? Very confused delivery drivers... What fun I all is...

    • @martynbush
      @martynbush День назад

      There was a plan a few years back to build a road from M11 J7 to the A414. But the planning idiots stopped it as they thought it would make Harlow a suburb of Londonistan

    • @GrahamMacdonald-w9o
      @GrahamMacdonald-w9o День назад +3

      Sorry, Trevor. I didn't notice your post before I wrote something similar - at least about extending the A414 to the M11. House numbering in New Towns seems to be a specific sort of science. I lived in Stevenage for nearly 40 years and some of the streets have strange numbering systems there as well. In fact, there is at least one place in Pin Green where houses facing each other across a pedestrian walkway actually have addresses on different roads.

    • @manlu_gaming
      @manlu_gaming 59 минут назад

      It seems a waste that they didn't connect it to the a414, that road is a dual carriageway to nowhere from Stevenage direction!

  • @marcusingram522
    @marcusingram522 День назад +11

    I agree with your proposal

  • @patthewoodboy
    @patthewoodboy День назад +7

    thats because the rich people of Harlow didnt want their Golf course messed up , their lobby stopped it.

  • @davekirk100
    @davekirk100 День назад +3

    No-one would miss it. Much better outtro music too, not too loud like the last one always was

  • @mevarangian1207
    @mevarangian1207 День назад +4

    oh how i chuckled at your parting shot. 😄the consensus agrees. well said!

  • @Goldenoldie49
    @Goldenoldie49 День назад +4

    I went there once!! Totally agree with your last statement.

  • @blisteringbarnaclesmagnets6364
    @blisteringbarnaclesmagnets6364 День назад +10

    Typical council mess up great video John 🧲👍⚓️

    • @frankupton5821
      @frankupton5821 День назад +2

      But it isn't the local council that decides where a motorway should go, is it?

    • @thebrowns5337
      @thebrowns5337 12 часов назад

      ​@@frankupton5821 people in the Uk blame the council for everything. Seriously. Yet when councils talk about budget cuts and impacts to services those same people say they don't do anything.

    • @SierraNovemberKilo
      @SierraNovemberKilo 12 часов назад

      ​@@frankupton5821No but Town and Country Planning operatives are the storm troopers of the UN NWO plan.

  • @tobyjackman3212
    @tobyjackman3212 День назад +5

    This is *the* best video I've ever seen about anything

  • @Dwagginz
    @Dwagginz День назад +3

    That last line got a laugh and a clap from me.

  • @88jerryw88
    @88jerryw88 13 часов назад +2

    My favourite channel. So much information I never knew I needed.

  • @therealunclevanya
    @therealunclevanya 22 часа назад +4

    Genesis sand a song about Harlow in 1972. "Get Em Out By Friday" from the album "Foxtrot"
    "Here we are in Harlow New Town
    Did you recognize your block
    Across the square, over there?
    Sadly, since last time we spoke
    We've found we've had
    To raise the rent again, just a bit"

    • @alan-sk7ky
      @alan-sk7ky 6 часов назад +1

      'This is an announcement from Genetic Control
      It is my sad duty to inform you of a four foot restriction on
      Humanoid height
      I hear the directors of Genetic Control have been buying all the
      Properties that have recently been sold, taking risks oh so bold
      It's said now that people will be shorter in height
      They can fit twice as many in the same building site
      They say it's alright
      Beginning with the tenants of the town of Harlow
      In the interest of humanity, they've been told they must go
      Told they must go-go-go-go'

  • @TheBrassDancer
    @TheBrassDancer День назад +2

    I've been advocating for years for Harlow to be abolished! Glad to see such an idea has traction.

  • @cleanycloth
    @cleanycloth День назад +3

    As someone who lives and works here...I agree with the last statement entirely.

  • @arjlilley
    @arjlilley 23 часа назад +1

    I will never cease to be amazed by how entertaining and informative you are able to make this videos. Perfection 👌

  • @bobspeller2225
    @bobspeller2225 День назад +3

    Great review and conclusion for Harlow

  • @weldybren
    @weldybren 23 часа назад +1

    As someone who grew up in bishops stortford I wholeheartedly agree with your last statement 👏🏻

  • @noelht1
    @noelht1 День назад +18

    As a relative of people who live in Harlow, I can confirm the whole place has always been as backwards as possible

    • @greebowarrior
      @greebowarrior День назад +5

      as someone who currently lives there, i can verify this statement

  • @FardisMortiava
    @FardisMortiava День назад +26

    Saw this again and it still hits!

  • @MYCROFTonX
    @MYCROFTonX День назад +4

    Solution found.. the boy's genius!

  • @mike_ctid_taylor
    @mike_ctid_taylor День назад +3

    I'll add my support to your excellent proposal

  • @paulknight5018
    @paulknight5018 День назад +1

    Jon brutal as ever about New Towns, well deserved, I was born and lived in Stevenage for the first 19 years of my life, it was bad then even worst 30+ years later!!

  • @PoppyPitts-vm3jx
    @PoppyPitts-vm3jx День назад +27

    I can't believe how awesome this is!

  • @londonlore5881
    @londonlore5881 День назад +15

    Great video Jon, I live in Harlow and I’m first! Button specifically for pressing has been pressed. Huzzah!! 🥳 👍🏽

  • @DrRock2009
    @DrRock2009 День назад +6

    “Here we are in Harlow New Town
    Did you recognize your block across the square, over there
    Sadly since last time we spoke
    We've found we've had to move the motorway again
    Just a bit… “

  • @ianelliott229
    @ianelliott229 День назад +3

    “Demolish completely” 😂

  • @grahaml334
    @grahaml334 20 часов назад +5

    Last time i visited harlow, i saw two women screaming at each other outside primark. I never went back.

    • @TonyWhitley
      @TonyWhitley 12 часов назад +1

      The Lady Mayoress and the Chair of the Rotary Club, longstanding feud.

  • @roysmith9733
    @roysmith9733 День назад +1

    Thanks John, another great video.

  • @landhopper4296
    @landhopper4296 20 часов назад +1

    When I was a kid we visited Harlow new town once when it was fairly new. It was modern, clean and the future. That was a while ago now….

  • @danteeightsix9069
    @danteeightsix9069 День назад +2

    Watching these makes me want to play Gran Turismo 3 and 4 again after listening to those endings.

  • @JohnSmithShields
    @JohnSmithShields День назад +3

    Ahhh the feasibility studies to the rescue.

  • @MiltonKeynes1
    @MiltonKeynes1 День назад +10

    Perfect time to do a Milton Keynes video, there’s 5-6 new round about almost completed in the Mk east expansion area. Makes for great drone footage

    • @David_Crayford
      @David_Crayford 20 часов назад +1

      I support this proposition. Studied and visited MK for my Geography exams.
      Was about 15. On the way back, at the service station a very nice lady chocolate company rep offered me a brand new Wispa bar as part of its market testing.
      Played a Bruce Lee game in the MK shopping centre (after conducting a survey)* and a mixed group of us played an adventure arcade at the service station. Epic day.
      *Think I tried chatting up the women I questioned to see how far it would get me. This was before speed dating was a thing.

  • @granddadmark7639
    @granddadmark7639 День назад +2

    Infrastrure planning in the UK is just bewildering and it continues today 😢

  • @richardsaunders3977
    @richardsaunders3977 14 часов назад

    I know Harlow very well and have driven through, or close to Harlow, for the best part of 40 years. This video explains so much and particularly helps with understanding why approaching Harlow from the West (A414) has always been so challenging. Great piece of historical research which still resonates today .... thank you!!

  • @zitzong
    @zitzong 23 часа назад +2

    Harlow is brilliant place, great video to showcase Harlow and the positivity it gives to Essex. It would be good if there were better transport links from Harlow to rest of the county such as trams and trains.

    • @maynard577
      @maynard577 21 час назад +1

      Im from harlow its a shithole now

  • @KevinLogan-m9z
    @KevinLogan-m9z День назад +5

    😂😂❤. How the heck did you hear me ranting in my truck about this awful place ? 😅

  • @EdgyNumber1
    @EdgyNumber1 21 час назад

    I am full agreement with John for his Harlow solution. 👍

  • @funkycowie
    @funkycowie 10 часов назад

    I have lived in Harlow for 15 years and always wondered but never bothered to find out why it was built this way, thanks!

  • @glenjones6980
    @glenjones6980 День назад +2

    Digging a big trench east to west about as north as say Birmingham and let the southern bit float away is my preferred option.

  • @lefthandedspanner
    @lefthandedspanner День назад +3

    the change came from central government rather than a local council, and was related to the London end of the route - it was physically easier to build alongside the river Roding than it was to follow the original route along the Lea valley
    either way, it was a monumental failure in joined-up planning

  • @MeverNind224
    @MeverNind224 День назад +1

    Would love to hear more about all the 'new towns' across England. Not sure how much it crosses over with your channel's main featuring, but they did always interest me

    • @JP_TaVeryMuch
      @JP_TaVeryMuch День назад +2

      He'd be honour ~ bound to save the outstanding in its field of its own Cumbernauld.
      The Capo di tutti capi of how to successfully blend concrete, cars, more concrete, express carriageways and citizens.

  • @peterkelly2492
    @peterkelly2492 9 часов назад

    As a former Stortfordian, I wholehartely agree with your closing statement!

  • @patentlyrubbish
    @patentlyrubbish 23 часа назад

    An excellent and insightful solution to a difficult and intractable problem, John 😀👍🏻

  • @ItsAllIndieFred
    @ItsAllIndieFred День назад +4

    Still hate how The Square in Harlow got demolished because a new block of flats were being built. 😢

    • @Teppic24
      @Teppic24 День назад +3

      Even worse was the promise from the then Labour council that a condition of the demolition was that The Square would be re-located elsewhere in the town. Yeah, that happened, didn’t it?

    • @hippiemark01
      @hippiemark01 День назад +2

      Yep still waiting for the replacement building.

  • @DrocGuidera1
    @DrocGuidera1 День назад +2

    The list of problems Harlow has would surpass the character limit of a youtube comment. In the plus side though Harlow has always been gloriously green, shocking they're still keeping to Gibberd's demand for green wedges and fingers but it makes it at least somwhat pleasent to walk around in the Spring and Summer.

  • @howardmiao5150
    @howardmiao5150 18 часов назад

    I made the mistake of accidentally visiting Harlow Town recently and you seem to have made a correct assessment of what needs doing to it

  • @B3tanTyronne
    @B3tanTyronne День назад +2

    Lived in Harlow for the past 10 years and funnily enough live less than 10 mins walk from that Sainsbury's.
    There are so many developments presently taking place be it building or roadworks that the entire place is a driving nightmare at the moment, That is not even taking into account the issues to come when they add the new bridges to the north of the town, creating a dual carriage way where presently just 2 lanes presently exist across the river Stort, that will be a right pain in the bum.

    • @esp_explorer
      @esp_explorer 14 часов назад

      I think the new bridge near the train station is going to add two more lanes, but the last plans I looked at showed these as bus lanes, and not for use by cars. Meaning the expensive new bridge will not ease congestion in the slightest.
      You couldn’t make this stuff up.

  • @McRocket
    @McRocket 19 часов назад

    You're great at this, Man!!!
    Love the ending especially.

  • @andrewdolinskiatcarpathian
    @andrewdolinskiatcarpathian 12 часов назад

    I second your proposal 👍😀

  • @darrenfranklin1214
    @darrenfranklin1214 День назад +3

    You're in my neck of the woods. Was once a lovely place to live, but now shite😡

  • @williamalmquest3082
    @williamalmquest3082 12 часов назад

    Another great informative video Jon, good work!

  • @stuartellis4042
    @stuartellis4042 День назад +3

    M11 north of Stansted going into 2 lanes and you've got a shit load of artics taking it in turn to overtake.....and the usual 50mph car sat in lane 2....yeah great motorway

  • @bubzthetroll
    @bubzthetroll 22 часа назад

    Excellent solution!

  • @ianreynolds9733
    @ianreynolds9733 День назад +4

    The M11 is a sh**show once you go beyond Stansted airport junction. Dual carriageway which is not fit for purpose ( try sitting behind two lorries trying to overtake) and endless fields of nothing. The two main arteries serving east anglia are this and the A12….. really badly outdated infrastructure. Slough had it’s own poem regarding what they should do with it (come friendly bombs) and Harlow should too! Great video fella!

    • @philtucker1224
      @philtucker1224 12 часов назад

      Has Stansted Airport been sold for housing yet?

  • @Eledore
    @Eledore 3 часа назад

    Who's with me this Christmas/Holiday-season to do: A complete rerun of Jon's channel.
    And everything we hear "Small Disagreement" & "Feasibility Study" we take a drink.
    (Doesn't need to be alcoholic, we still need to drive safe. Just make sure you have plenty available)..

  • @Alex58399
    @Alex58399 День назад +3

    I’m not entirely surprised, as most of Britain is going pretty backwards

  • @marcusingram522
    @marcusingram522 День назад +2

    Worked on the lifts there, Working in all the council blocks,Not my favourite place I’ve worked

  • @minibus9
    @minibus9 День назад

    awesome video, interesting how silly changes can really affect a town

  • @pirateadam3686
    @pirateadam3686 11 часов назад

    That's your plan?!
    I like it. Simple, easy to remember.

  • @laurencecharlton8760
    @laurencecharlton8760 21 час назад

    Sarcasm at it's supposed to be!!Excellent,as always.👍👍

  • @BernardSamson-hf6fc
    @BernardSamson-hf6fc День назад +2

    Re-directing the A414 through Harlow also added to the shit show. Harlow council couldn't run a bath, let alone a town.

  • @thamesking
    @thamesking 3 часа назад

    I lived there in the 1980s. It hasn't improved since. Harlow was built when they thought there would be no more than one car for every five houses, hence the narrow roads through the estates and almost complete lack of suitable parking. Jon, I second your solution to the problem.

  • @bertoltb1358
    @bertoltb1358 День назад +1

    Jon, the Harrow of Harlow.

  • @Ant86744
    @Ant86744 2 часа назад

    I live in Telford, all the houses were rushed built and really designed to last only 50 years. A lot are still standing but a lot of upgrades and improvements

  • @MarkMeister
    @MarkMeister 23 часа назад

    As someone that lives is Harlow, I agree with your last statement! 😂

  • @henrikhyrup3995
    @henrikhyrup3995 21 час назад

    That ending...shit just went from 0 to 100 real fkin quick. 🤣

  • @LeeCorne
    @LeeCorne День назад +2

    Surely a ring road around Harlow that links to the M11 at the North and South would be the best solution? Maybe the farmers don't want to sell any of their laaaaaaand?!

  • @AndrewRobinson-b8y
    @AndrewRobinson-b8y День назад

    Exactly. I’ve been working in Harlow for 30 years driving around visiting the elderly. I’m now retiring. Thank FXXK

    • @jeremywilliams5107
      @jeremywilliams5107 День назад

      Did you get a replacement who'll be driving around visiting you now?

  • @robertyoung9611
    @robertyoung9611 19 часов назад

    I read in a book about Harlow that Sir Frederick Gibberd, who created the master plan for Harlow New Town, complained that it was like being asked to design a seaside resort only to be told the sea had been moved, when the M11 was rerouted.

  • @JamesHardiman99
    @JamesHardiman99 23 часа назад

    That probably explains why I've never been to Harlow!

  • @Cadcare
    @Cadcare 23 часа назад

    Prior to watching this video I only knew of Harlo from a live recording of 'Hit me with your Rhythm Stick' by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. 'Ullo 'Arlo.

  • @viliusr6974
    @viliusr6974 День назад +2

    I wonder if the feasibility study was randomly come up with , because some elbow patch in shadows of the government corridors was very upset about new motorway due to be built next to his estate.

  • @jcooper_
    @jcooper_ 22 часа назад

    I visit Harlow when I want my home of Milton Keynes to feel like paradise crafted by angels

  • @JetfireQuasar
    @JetfireQuasar День назад +4

    My Solution? a Ring Road

  • @willtricks9432
    @willtricks9432 День назад

    I admire your quick thinking and callous resolve, knock it down. What has Harlow ever done to you, Jon?

  • @lordatkinson2046
    @lordatkinson2046 День назад +1

    Im going to start a petition to have the A14 upgraded to motorway standard and have the M11 renamed as the M6

  • @Jawst
    @Jawst День назад +2

    I need to get you on government planning committee

  • @carltaylor6452
    @carltaylor6452 19 часов назад

    The town centre precinct in Basildon, Essex is famously said to have been built the wrong way round.

  • @andrijbebko8435
    @andrijbebko8435 3 часа назад

    A friend worked there for a number of years, always refers to is as Harlot.

  • @sumpyman
    @sumpyman 9 часов назад

    Nice drone shots, but the best veiw of Harlow is on the M11 in your rear view mirror - it doesnt matter what direction you go.

  • @fman02
    @fman02 День назад +1

    So it’s not just the people who are backwards. Sweet.

  •  День назад +5

    Was it supposed to be called Wolrah?

  • @1fourcore
    @1fourcore 22 часа назад +1

    And the Loughton junction is specifically designed to try and kill all the juction users trying to get on and off the motorway . With its deadly layout .

  • @JourneywithSmee
    @JourneywithSmee День назад

    I thought about this RUclips channel earlier when I was on the on the old road near Huntington Cambridgeshire

  • @100tallpaul
    @100tallpaul 23 часа назад

    Used that new junction on Sunday. I'm from Essex (Canvey island) and had a flight from Stansted so thought I would quickly see and drive the new junction on the way. It's pretty good and will take some traffic off the A414/M11 junction but every time I see Harlow it seems to be expanding so guessing new junction will soon be rammed.

  • @colindavis1466
    @colindavis1466 11 часов назад

    At the first mention of Harlow, all I can think of is Genesis > Foxtrot > Get Em Out By Friday

  • @bob_._.
    @bob_._. День назад +2

    So I wonder how much money was saved in construction costs by going east compared to all the extra fuel and time used by trucks - lorries, sorry - driving back and forth across town all these years, plus the increased road maintenance required on the surface streets.

  • @rwm2986
    @rwm2986 22 часа назад

    Thanks John - you are just too logical for your own good!

  • @bryemycaz
    @bryemycaz День назад +1

    Here we are in Harlow New Town, Did you recognize your block across the square, over there.

  • @jfwfreo
    @jfwfreo 17 часов назад

    So many things have been screwed up because someone said "we need a feasibility study" or "we need a business case"

  • @philmannion8966
    @philmannion8966 День назад +1

    Can we have just that last segment in a lil short video please 😂