Britain's Abandoned Roads - Episode 3 - Northern Orbital Road Corby Northamptonshire 

Some see a disused road and an eye sore, I see a free drag strip

The countryside and villages near Corby are actually outstanding.

I live in corby and didn't even know this road existed 😳

I don't know why you are all blaming the council. This is a private sector built road built by an overambitious builder as part of their planning permission for a huge housing development. On completion it would have been handed over to the council. The builder went bust part way, which is where we come in to pay to eventually finish it off. Remember business is all about privatising profits and socialising losses.

Still not finished, Corby Borough Council has now been incorporated into the 'new' North Northamptonshire Council, who, whilst no-one in their wildest dreams thought possible), seem even more inept then the Councils it replaced. Interesting point for those who don't know, Rockingham Motor Speedway was actually in the former District of East Northamptonshire, so Corby Council had little influence, they could only make their views known to East Northants Council.....

Corby is the place that just keeps giving when it comes to bleak treats. I'm loving these videos.

You have this way of speaking that is GREAT for RU-vid, imho. You come across as intelligent, a bit edgy/cool, humorous, confident...yet easy going. Sorry, I cannot explain it more concisely. ☮

Your videos are so underrated. I can imagine how much time it takes to put the story together. You deserve hundreds of thousands of subscribers!

Thank you for this of course!!

Never knew we had abandoned roads in England...I'm sure a New Town of 200 000 will grow around it soon.

This a cracking channel, this man is going places. Thank you

Corby isn't as bad as it's made out to be. There are a lot of very friendly people and just like every other town and city there are those that let the place down and I'm not just talking about Northamptonshire council. The roads have recently starting to be repaired which is good because trust me they are in dire need of it, the town centre isn't nearly as grubby as it once was and there are warehouses going up all over the place which granted aren't the easiest on the eye but they do create jobs.

Love these short videos. And to think top gear lampoon's f ups in Europe. They could have stayed home

I'm intrigued to see if the streetlights work at night! Great video as always Jon!

I'm really enjoying these videos, keep it up!

Man, my folks live like a mile or two away from there and I never even knew this road existed! I see it now on satellite photos. What a waste! Exploring time, next time I visit! The racetrack was a massive missed opportunity. What were they thinking?

I like driving down the A1. You can see quite a bit of the old road here and there overgrown.

Great film set or practice area for emergency services

These could be converted into a pretty good tramway if the demand was there for a system to connect up the residential areas in the southeast to the industrial and commercial zones to the west

Madness to see this! Great video John

The council there has changed in the last few years. It is now a unitary council-which really gives better services somehow than before where there were two different ones in one area. But I wonder if that has altered anything though?

This road is no longer abandoned - its having a bit of a New Year New Me moment. Someone has bought the land to store more cars (between this road and the Speedway) so the road is now open and used during the day, presumably for construction vehicles. Update the vid with a visit Jon!

Reckon there were some well-stuffed brown envelopes moved around between council officials and developers at some point.

I've pissed up against those concrete blocks at 1:47.

A road: meh. An abandoned road: 🤗. Subscribed.

What a story! England, the home of past glories, cannot even design and build a bypass, and Rockingham Raceway is another prime example on the judgement of English planners. Built based on the assumption that the Britsi will flock to an American style raceway with all the lightweoght frippery that goes along with that. Mind you, it makes a great place to store the cars, built in Britain, that people don't want to buy. Double whammy.

great videos, really hope this channel grows. I never knew i wanted to learn more about Britains roads un till now

In fairness, Rockingham Speedway is used as EVEN MORE car storage now! So not a total waste!! :S

I'm surprised that the council don't rent it out for filming or emergency services training

Great! Another fantastic series about planning, pavement and pay offs. Thank you, Jon.😂 😊

A disused race track next to a disused road in a disused town

That road was open at one point. It's for track access as the only other road in is the main entrance. Plus the race teams coming in from that road made it easier as the tunnel is on that side, along with the gated road at the end of the video. The reason the track closed was bad management and a massive lack of advertising,

I live just up the road in Kettering, I didn't even know about that road!

Well bugger me (don't really), I've lived here most of my life and didn't even realise this existed.

Was not aware of this well concieved council plan in Corby but it does explain why we are now under north Northampton council tax zone paying extra but I thought that was for the 6 million giveing to the Italian family for sixfields who said thank you and moved to there mansion in Italy

Just found and watched this fantastic video. Corby now has the second largest open space warehouse in Europe. Owned and operated by iforce. Just off Geddington Road.

Your dry wit and sense of humour never fail to make me laugh. Another great vid - of such a lovely place (not).

Used to go past this on our way to Gretton without even knowing it was there!

Surely it could be the basis for some pre-post-apocalypse visitor attraction? Probably got about 18months lead time if it hasn't melted after last week.... Scarfolk Council for the feasibility study.

Why can't they open these roads for learner drivers who are a bit nervous on th normal busy road it would be of a great help to them and the instructors

why don't they open it up for the tuned-saxo-with-a-drainpipe-exhaust brigade??

Run past this every morning, very creepy in the darkness of winter. Would be great if they did open it, would cut my drive time to play football from 15 minutes, to 13 minutes…

Looks like a great place to go cycling :)

It deeply saddens me that 2 great motoring assets are just let rot instead of being developed.

That intro gave me a good laugh 😃 i reckon the council should just give up and open it up to the great youth, coah just imagine the one liter corsas and fiestas ripping up that road.

I swear I’ve delivered on that industrial estate, obviously you didn’t show it but I remember my shat nav showing me a way off it and I swear it was those gates ahead of me (I live near Preston lancs and deliver nationwide) Drag strip there begging to be used 😁

Ideal for running

I assumed the thumbnail must be clickbait. The real thing is even more staggering

I know this area, and was excited when they seemed to be pumping money into the town, but now it’s like a desolate wasteland. Hopefully, one day, a council with a brain and a budget, will get some of this sorted for the sake of Corby.

A certain well known bakery company is currently looking for a new site in and around the Corby area. If the road is completed its possible they could rent or build the in that area.

And folks, don't think it's us brits that just makes unopened stuff; in Belgium, in one city, they built a branch off a metro line, for a new metro line. Built the stations, laid the track, and it's still not opened, some 40 years since!

Would you have any photographs or other videos of other abandoned motorway services? Or service stations??

Interesting video...shame about the unnecessary foul language which doesn't contribute anything to the video.

The folly of private developers - amazing that no other developer took on building the new estates - maybe no one wants to live in Corby…

0:04 - 0:17 So, basically, Corby is the British Flint, Michigan?

Would make a great post apocalyptic film set.. why can't we build homes here and not on beautiful unspoilt countryside.

Santa Pod 2

M23 Coulsdon Exit Bridge o.o

The amount of tax-payers money that just gets wasted is mind boggling.. Good vid.

I was half expecting you to mention the proclivities for which the locals were famous. Probably not the best subject matter for a youtube video though.

I've driven on it too get too rockingham racetrack

on that road, I'd still be late due to traffic

I wish all roads were car free.

Following on from watching this video, and prevously not knowing this existed, I took a run over on my motorbike today and rode down from the roundabout to the bridge, because I could 🤣. Of course, that meant I had to ride the wrong way back up the dual carriageway to get back to the roundabout. 🙄😂

What a waste of money, time and resources. By the time they get around to doing anything about it, The surface will have been ruined by weathering and plant roots breaking up the surface.😡

Seems most of the abandoned roads are old and more than a bit broken down. This one looks quite serviceable in the whole, simply left unfinished. Sad, really.

Isn't it finished now and in use. Maybe an update is needed regarding this video plse.

Haha I'm from here Thought they finished it at some point

I live here haha you were too kind

How the hell can a road building company go bust? This kind of f* up should simply never happen.

WOW - Thats impressive how much they F'ed up there - Almost Russian Oligarch levels of incompetance and corruption!

Isn't it a shame that all these abandoned roads are blocked off and unused. I know there are many van lifers who would probably jump at the chance to use them for safe overnight stops. For a small fee the councils could even open them up as aires (like the ones in Europe) which have basic facilities, water, toilet/black waste emptying, EHU (if wanted), Electric vehicle charging points, and Laundromat facilities. With the infrastructure for road drainage, power for the lights etc., it probably wouldn't cost that much to reinstate them. Just think how much money they could recoup (as long as they are not greedy) over the long term provision of such facilities! They could even provide employment for wardens to look after them. Looking at the comments below there are many other ideas that these abandoned roads could be used for. So much potential wasted because councils can't think outside the box!

I'm thinking were is my motorbike.?🏍️

Looks like a normal part of Corby to me.

What a huge waste of money...i travel to Corby virtually every week ( to Jacksons Bakery ) and never knew this unused road existed.

i live nearby so i can visit this place at any time

I live down the road and never knew this was here.. How do you get to it ?

So £300,000 to see what to do with it, why can't the Head of Highways and his staff come up with a plan (what are they paid for if not) but no, every jobsworth will want to get an oar in, including the Green brigade, it will take years to make a decision and no doubt cost even more. Rip off Britain.

ever used for a post apocalyptic movie?

They could make the money back by hiring it out for a Mad Max or other apocalyptic film lol.

I bet the local kids use it, ride their dirt bikes, quads, hot hatches, etc.

A year or so on, has anything happenned since putting the 300K in ?

They should have just stuck to trouser presses. Seem to have branched out too far, too quick and overstretched themselves. Question is, did corby waste public or private money making a monumental embarrassment of themselves?

Rockingham speedway was decent

Make a good cycle way to nowhere.

£300,000 just to assess? I wonder how much of that money will end up in private accounts? These people don't live in the real world do they?

Northamptonshire councils sure do like to spunk our cash away….

Why is it closed? Its in better condition than some of the roads I use every day. Just stop fannying about and open it

Should really do it up properly and rent to film studios.

LOVE these videos!! Just one little thing - could you hold back on the swearing please, as I'd love to share them more widely.

This is what happens when you hire town planners who are both drunk and insane.

What a waste of money building that

holy shit a video about the place im from that isnt completely about how shit it is

Ahh Corby, always a classy crap hole

Utter madness, just imagine how much all that road, street furniture and bridge cost the tax payers? Crazy!!

It's a shame it's not being used by those who are forced in to illegal street "larking about". It could be generating revenue to pay for its own completion if they held events there

Ahh corby, the blight of Northamptonshire. Its like going back to filthy Victorian times over there. Literally like a 3rd world country over there. Great community spirit though, salt of the earth people and all that

Money well spent.

It's like a road after an apocalypse 😂 it's a shame, because coming from Kettering way, it seems like there's just one road in and out of Corby, the last time I went through there half the place was boarded up? I don't know if it's still the same?

Someone is laughing all the way to the bank. Corby council has earmarked a further £300,000 of Taxpayers money to 'assess', not fix but 'arse'ess' how much more Taxpayers money will be needed to be spent to finish a road that Taxpayers had originally paid for 25 years ago. Multiply this 'model' by the number of councils up and down the country and you begin to ask, where is all the fuckin' money going?