IT was 60 years ago this month that Prime Minister Harold Macmillan cut the tape on an eight-mile stretch of road in Lancashire and officially ushered in the dawn of a new era.

The opening of the Preston bypass on December 5 1958 changed the face of Britain and defined our travelling habits. Motorways were to become a monument to urban civilisation both economic lifelines and scenes of the worst carnage and traffic chaos.

There are now thousands of miles of motorway in Britain and East Lancashire towns are linked by the M65. In many ways, it can be said they have changed the area more than any other single thing in the post war years.

The idea seemed simple - the new three-lane highways would banish bottlenecks forever and ensure swift and trouble-free travel throughout country. And there was a great deal of pride in Lancashire that motorists from the area were the first to experience the thrill of motorway driving. But it is often forgotten now that for those first few months things could hardly be said to have run smoothly.

Seven weeks after its opening, the road began to crumble and had to shut. Motorists had swarmed on to it almost from the minute the opening ceremony had been completed. There was no speed limit and drivers were encouraged to drive as fast as they could.

The road was built for speed and as a bypass to Preston between Cuerden and Broughton. In fact, many eager motorists were reduced to a 2mph crawl on the first weekend.