Chigwell

Chigwell:

Road: M11 between J4 and J5
Location: Chigwell, Essex
Date planned: 1969-1980
Grid reference: TQ432943
See also: Havering-atte-Bower

Google Maps link

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Chigwell services would have been a motorway service area on the M11. The M11, like many other motorways, was meant to head much further into London then it actually does - some ten miles in this case. The story of Chigwell services is a fairly simple one: had the road been built to its full length then these services would have been needed, but as the bottom end of it was never built, they're not. The unbuilt extension also explains why the M11 'starts' at J4, a junction with a large gap in the middle of it.

It's all part of the London Ringways, a plan which is covered in great detail over on CBRD.

In 1971 the plans went to a public inquiry as they were very controversial, with the MP for Chigwell saying it would "ruin the amenities of a beautiful place". Presumably the services passed this as preparation works were completed.

Further services were planned at Harlow and Newport. Birchanger Green, which is mid-way between these two places, opened in 1988 and is the M11's only services.

With in the services, the ground is lower than the motorway surrounding it, with a subway connecting the two sides. After the plans were dropped the site was turned into a police control depot and an emergency turn-around point for authorised vehicles, to do this a narrow overbridge with a 28 tonne weight limit was erected, as despite the space for connections to the local road network being available, they were never built.

Current Plans

As of 2009 the southbound site is being used as a logistics centre to control the flow of vehicles heading for London's Olympic Park construction site. The site will be run until 2012, after which it may be used as a "commercial venture". The Road Haulage Association have suggested it becomes a truckstop and are campaigning to see this happen.

They are also considering turning the northbound side in to a park and ride unit.