A40(M) Westway

Where is it?

Sort of near Notting Hill and Paddington, London.

And what's this here for then?

Yet again, it's one of those "former motorways".

Ah, I see.

Yes, I rather thought you might...

Can you show me where it was on a map?

Certainly!

So why isn't it a motorway anymore?

For purely political reasons. In 2000, all roads within Greater London were transferred to a new body, "Transport for London". Unfortunately, whoever wrote the legislation made an error, and TfL have no power to be the authority in charge of motorways...

So are there any other reasons for it being here?

Not really - it's something like 2.5 miles (4km) long, so it's fairly short, I guess. It's still an important route through west London, it just doesn't have blue signs any more.

It also has an absolutely fascinating history, that's explored within CBRD's Ringways feature.

Can I see some photographs then?

Of course!

Can I comment on this motorway?

Of course! Contact me and I'll put them here!

Have any other visitors commented?

Phil Reynolds with a piece of information:

If you are going west along A40(M), as you come towards the end, at least one gantry has a blank blue panel on it - or at least it did last time I went.

Tony Moore has a little piece of trivia:

You show a picture of a business unit coming up over the side of the A40(M) with the name "Westbourne Studios" on it. Having been there it actually goes underneath the A40(M). The two ends come up either side and the main body is slap bang underneath it. It's a very good use of space.

An anonymous contributor contributes:

If you enter by the Paddington slip road (heading west), you can still see the old Motorway restrictions sign (no L-Drivers, no vehicles under 50cc etc...). A bit faded, but still there...

Malcolm Norwood comments [April 08]:

Until I saw your site I hadn't realised that TFL had downgraded this section of the westway (and the M41) to non-motorway status. Shows how much I take notice of all those signs!

Your photo of the eastern end near to the Edgeware Road shows the most annoying line of cones in London. Because of those cones if you want to head into the Edgeware Road area you are forced to go over the flyover and join the queue for the first set of lights on the Marylebone road, and that can be some queue on a wet Tuesday morning! Of course you could leave at the previous exit and thread you way around Paddington, but it will cost you £8.

A40(M)

Westway

County:

Middlesex

Length:

2.5 miles

4 km

Built:

1970

Status:

Former

Map Links:

Might Have Been Map

Present Day Map

On other websites:

CBRD Histories: Ringways

The Motorway Archive