Motorway, The Safeway (1979) UK Public Information Film 

I am convinced that this is a major contribution to road safety.

No you don't shoot off across all three lanes Paul...You're not in a BMW

Even back then there,s still no sign of anybody working at the roadworks.

10:20 the M63 at Stretford before it became the M60 ring road around Manchester. I grew up in Sale right by here and I remember the M63 being built. Great seeing it as it used to be back then! Thanks for posting this film it's really interesting

These films should be shown today! -

If everyone listened and behaved properly on the motorway and didn't drive so closely to each other, we may not have so many traffic jams !

Drop down to 35mph when you leave the motorway and undertaking is fine too.This chap would have kittens on a modern road.

it's that twerp in the Allegro that's holding everyone up 13:00, trundling along in the middle lane.

This should be reissued and be made mandatory!

Some nice cars at 11:05; Rover P6 (with aftermarket sunroof), Granada Mk1, and Austin Princess. Fool in Citroen GS 11:40!

Seeing the old layout, pre-M60 "ring-road" is a great treat. Thank you for restoring this beauty. White-van man existed back in 1979? And of course, he was heading for the M61 - I'd bet 5p that he switched to the A666 and got off at Farnworth :P

Extraordinary that we didn't used to train or test for motorway driving until 2018!

I'd love to hear Lee Boardman's voiceover (Road Wars) for this using his phrases 'What a donut' and 'he was caught spanking it at 30mph....'

I remember these motorways as a kid. I was a passenger in my dad's lorry around this time and he would travel around these motorways

fix motor easy those days no ecus and scan tools

"If your route involves a "Smart" motorway, always plan ahead. Make sure you have made a will. The main reason for this, is some idiot thought it would be a great idea to remove the hard shoulder. If you are unlucky enough to break down, best of luck, and pray you don't get squashed by an HGV".

Great find from the past, but I find some of the advice a little odd. Slowing down on the motorway BEFORE reaching the deceleration lane for the slip-way? Never a mention of signalling when performing a lane change (not that most of the other traffic did either). Passed driving exam without motorway testing? Taking a break after 1.5 hours of motorway driving? My daily commute would take forever! Haha!! A great video though. Thoroughly the trip into the past. Thanks!!

Do you know whether there any issues about using any of the audio from this clip or is it considered to be royalty free and public domain? Thanks. Neil

They were lucky to have brakes. In my day, the driver had to open the car door and stick his foot out. But we were happy back then.

Did they not have a national speed limit sign back then? I don't believe I've seen a 70 mph speed limit sign before?

Same on a dual carriageway

This is 1979??

A sign to cross the central reservation I've never seen it before not even on the highway code

So much free parking space!

The A303 is like a motorway, but it's just a dual carrigeway

Lovely Renault pauls neighbour has got

40 years later and people still have no idea how to use a motorway

Yep, just stop in the middle of the roundabout when you're deciding whether to go onto the motorway or not. That'll be safe.

"and if you are driving a BMW, please ignore everything we have told you. The highway code does NOT apply to you, please remember that you don't need to show consideration to anyone else on the road so long as you get to your destination as fast as possible. Very importantly, please do not indicate, it confuses other road users and could cause an accident."

I love this film. The motorways were so clean then. They look like the Autobahn now. The motorways now in the UK are linear dustbins. Great film to show people in the 70's cared and had personal pride and standards.

Details for PFV927N Vehicle make RENAULT Date of first registration 01 August 1974 Cylinder capacity (cc) 1647cc CO₂Emissions Not available Fuel type PETROL Export marker No Vehicle status Not taxedVehicle colour BEIGE Tax due: 30 March 1990 - Not a bad run for a 70's Renault :)

Could do with these public broadcasts today!! Especially regarding smart motorways.

“You should only remain in the 2nd & 3rd lane to overtake slow moving traffic and return to the first lane once you’ve completed your overtake” - A far cry from the attitudes of ‘middle lane hoggers’ on today’s motorways. All these years later and people still don’t know how to drive! This film should be compulsory education in all schools and its content part of the UK theory driving test.

Rumour has it that the M6 still has roadworks on it!

Great video, this is when people used to care about stuff : (

3:28 "Check your indicators". Only applies to people who don't own BMWs or Audi's :)

Paul and his neighbour, Jim, comtinued up to Leeds with Jim giving lots of useful and sensible advice. When they got to Leeds, it was late so Jim suggested they should stay in a hotel rather than drive back through the night which would be dangerous. Paul agreed and being sensible, Jim booked one room to save money. Up in the room which had a rare (for 1979) ensuite, Jim suggested a shower would be a good idea before dinner and it would make sense to share so Jim could show Paul the correct way to clean his bits...

"Paul? This is the disembodied voice in your head. You know, the one that talks to you when you're trying to concentrate on driving? You are terrible at this, aren't you? I would try and drive straight into the nearest flyover, when you see one. You'll never amount to much, will you, Paul?"

I totally miss the early days of education and the do's and don'ts of everyday life. Such a sad shame it's been reduced to nothing more than a carefree life of now. I wish I could return to early life once again, sigh!

If they had been in a Leyland car, it would have boiled over, by now . Or the back axle would have come adrift

I'm pushing 40 but I remember doing my driving test nearly 22 years ago and passing on the second try. At the time when I became a new driver, they had offered this Pass Plus course in which the instructor would take you onto the motorway and other more challenging types of road and guide you. Upon completing the course you'd get a certificate as well as the possibility of your insurance becoming cheaper. My friends all raved on about this course and especially the prospect of getting cheaper insurance. I then asked my parents about it and they were like: ''You just passed your driving test, you don't need that course''. I was like ''Yeah...but I haven't driven on the motorway before''. They were like ''Forget the course, we will take you onto the motorway''. For the first few attempts, my Mother and Sister sat with me (my father was too tense about it so I thought it would be best if he didn't sit with me) Upon finally feeling confident enough to drive by myself on the motorway, I was shocked at how much easier it was than driving in built-up areas. You just go in one direction, changing lanes safely on occasion.

Young lad going off for a drive with elderly neighbour - how innocent and naive we all were in the '70s :)

Excellent time machine. When was the last time you saw a Renault R16 let alone an Austin 1100? all gone. Liked the old Bedford army trucks coming along the M6. Thanks for uploading the film. One final note it seems to be blokes who have posted comments about this film. Keep up the good work!

Was waiting for Basil Fawlty to come out with a tree branch!!!

the seventies in the uk looks like someone accidentally vacuumed up the fifties and had to pull it out of the canister and now it's all dirty.

"I'm just off to Leeds. Why don't you come with me?" And Paul was never seen again.

2:24 They must both be Ventriloquists - speaking without moving their lips.

The UK excelled in making mildly condescending public information films back then.

It can indeed be a dangerous and costly situation to run out of petrol on the motorway (Especially if you're driving a Renault)

Some people haven't a clue how to drive on a motorway. Some of my dashcam clips are testament to that. BMW and Audi drivers tend to be the worst with White Van Man not too far behind. I'm familiar with these sections of the M6 & M62 and they have changed since the 1970s. Unfortunately, I have to got to Leeds every day to go to work and I have to contend with the car park that is the M62 between J26 & J27. I don't think the smart motorways have helped any. I had to contend with them when they were being built in 2012 when I was working in York. The 50mph average speed limits were a nightmare and a single accident caused big delays.

These films you're digging up are brilliant! Great work, and please keep them coming!

Er, get on the motorway at 30mph !!!! Brilliant.

He passed the test without knowing anything about motorway & signs. Lolxx

"I'm just off to Leeds!"

Nothing safer then the motorway. Try travelling the A19 between Middlesbrough and Sunderland, always accidents along there.

1:43 "No, Paul, you don't shoot across three lanes like that. You're not an Audi driver!"

Safe distance these days seems to be right up on the bumper

I grew up around this area where the film was shot looks like M6 junction 20 at Lymm and I passed my test in 1979 so I'm looking for myself in my little green Austin 1300! Could even be me passing Paul and his dad where they are talking about going to Leeds. Looks a bit like Altrincham

We need these public information films today. 90% of people think driving in lane 1 is illegal.

M6/m56 junction but look at the beautiful Renault 16!

1979 and still using 1950 music! A nice start! LOL!

I think the highway code still says that if there is no gap to merge from a slip road onto a motorway then the driver has to stop. This is WRONG, you can use the hard shoulder to build up your speed if running out of slip road and a gap WILL open and you can merge. its less dangerous and you wont get nicked for it. (I know I have had to do it with the rozzers behind me). stopping on a slip road with other motorists charging down it whilst they are looking over their shoulder is a recipe for disaster.

Remember, on motorways safety is always the key. Danger is never the key. Not heeding safety is dangerous. Never drive dangerously, dangerous driving is unsafe. Safe driving by you is safety for all road users. Be safe. Be sound. Be smart. Be certain

I had a car for a few years at about this time, and absolutely hated it. I never wanted to drive, but my mother wanted me to so I could take her to local places, such as the Orange Luxury Coach Station in Brixton if she was going on a trip somewhere. I did just once drive on a very short section of motorway and it frightened the life out of me. Mother and car both expired at about the same time, so I gave up driving in 1982 and will never do so again. I couldn’t drive now even if I wanted to as I have serious eyesight problems. I do occasionally travel on motorways, but only as a passenger in a coach.

The joy of pre "Average Speed Camera" zones.

Been driving for 15 years and this taught me some aspects about motorway driving I didn't even know! Lol. The arrows on the road indicating which lane you're in was one example.

Life was simpler & less crowded then

The old guy is great. He could get a job doing public information films.

It's amazing how many broken-down vehicles there are on the shoulder in this. You hardly see any, these days.

Lorries seem to be unreliable then.

My sister is terrified with driving on the motorway. They may be safe roads to drive on but she is too scared. Years ago she drove from our house to southern scotland on the a77 and a76 to Dumfries. She felt safer driving on narrow country roads. She didn,t drive on the m74 or the old a74 either. The a74 was a notorious road with a high death toll people thought it was a motorway when in fact it was a dual carriageway between 2 motorways m74 and m6 heading south to Carlisle.

It's funny how in those days the voice over was always so proper and middle class sounding, and that opening & closing music too! Paul was certainly speeding along at a ridiculous speed, but I suspect the film might have been speeded up! It's hard to imagine how a Morris 1100/1300 could go that fast. Very good advice he got on his 2nd trip, but the elderly man certainly took his time in the slip road, I thought he was never gonna join the motorway! Every time they showed the speedometer, he's hardly doing more than 40 mph. It's interesting catching sight of the yellow Ford Escort estate. Can't tell if it's a MK1 or 2, but I knew a family who had a white Escort estate of the same type when I was at primary school in the 80s. One of my teachers also had 1, and in the early 90s I knew someone else with a yellow Escort estate; I think it was the MK2, from about the mid 70s. I never see them now, even at classic car gatherings!

PFV927N was on the road until 1990.

10:45 Worsley church

I left school at 18 in 1971 and entered the construction industry part-way through the Midland Links Motorway Programme, M6-M1 junction and M6 North, M5-M6 junction and all the interchanges between - including spaghetti junction (Gravelly Hill interchange). Been driving now for 52 years and despite all the improvements and hi-tech vehicles on the roads today, driving standards are at an all-time low, IMO. I don’t just mean in the UK but everywhere I’ve driven, which includes most of the western European countries, the USA, Canada, Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Moldova, Ukraine, Turkey, Oman, UAE, Qatar, KSA… everywhere, the same old story, too fast, too close together and too impatient.

The Good old days, today is Fucking Hell on the road 😖😖😖😖😣😣😣😩😩😩

11:42 Yellow Citroen (showing off road in 1984) turns into a yellow Ford Cortina Estate.

70's Euro truck is good! My favorite models are Mercedes Benz NG&Volvo F88・89＆Scania LBS&Foden S39.

I'd forgotten what a hard shoulder looked like

2:21 They're talking but their mouths aren't moving. 3:49 Hitchiker behind the M6 sign. So many broken-down vehicles on the hard shoulder considering how few cars there are on the motorway compared to now.

Glad you posted this it's great!!!

I pressed my test 38 yrs ago now I am 56 brilliant I miss the good old days ❤️❤️❤️

40mph on fairly clear motorway...stopping on a roundabout.. excellent. Go slower Paul until you feel more confident. Edit: No speed or average speed cameras either

I remember those central reservation lights a bit further up from Birch Services oscillating during a storm in the 1980s. They literally bent over to the left and right only a few feet from the road surface in each sway. Like swaying palm trees. I was gobsmacked. Was shown on Granada News too. They replaced those type after that.

Why can't people drive properly nowadays. No indications cos they can't be arsed to let others know what they are doing. Constantly drive in middle lane cos they think it's normal. That's why there are too many accidents and congestion on our motorways. Read the highway code !!!!!!

I think some of the footage may have been a bit older than 1979. There was a car transporter visible at 5:11 which seemed to be carrying three new yellow MK1 Hillman Avengers with the "L" shaped rear lights, that model was made until 1976. Could have been random cars but that seems unlikely. Bit fuzzy so I could be wrong.

Is this guy for real ? He's just passed his test, and he has to ask what a speed indicator sign means ??

Pre motorway checks should have included biscuits, water and a thermos!

I remember those lights at 10:58 on what is now the m60 (in the clip it was M62). It must have been late 1980s or early 90s parents took me to Yorkshire. Always wondered where that was. It's interesting seeing it all as the M62. Those gantries have recently been changed over to smart motorways and I recognise the bridge at 11:48 that goes diagonally across the middle of junction 17. Also birch services looks alot different now.

Nonsense! The first thing I did when I passed my test was head out onto the motorway. No problem at all!

I'm confused. Was the man with the Renault his father or a paedophile ?

I'm amazed this man passed his driving test. In the first place. At all.

I like how some of the signage, gantries and matrix signs are still up and running today. Those gantries near J21a on the M6 are still there now.

You know what I’d do if someone was driving up my arse because I’m doing 30 on a slip road and 40 on the actual carriageway? Gun it.

I passed my driving test in 1991 and never had any motorway experience, it was quite alarming first time I used one but I soon accepted the way to drive differently from normal roads.

Shame everyone is not compelled to watch this before taking their test.

What's a road map😂

I wonder how much car insurance was back then? £50? 😂

Paul has action slacks

Nowadays every one is in a dam rush I don't understand why hurry your only going to wach Netflix