Birthday celebrations for road landmark

Spaghetti Junction: heralded as the future of motoring

One of the most famous road junctions in the West Midlands is celebrating its 30th birthday with a week-long exhibition.

Spaghetti Junction on the M6 at Birmingham was heralded as the future of motoring when it was opened in 1972 by the then Environment Secretary, Peter Walker.

Described as one of the most important days in the history of the country's road system, it cost £10m to build and is held up by nearly 600 concrete columns.

Spaghetti Junction promised to reduce congestion when it was opened but 30 years later, the congestion is back and there is continual roadworks.

Photographs and facts

However the Highways Agency is celebrating the opening of the unique road system, described as Europe's most complex motorway interchange, with an exhibition in Birmingham's Victoria Square.

Visitors will be able to see photographs taken during its construction and also learn 30 facts about Spaghetti Junction such as the price of petrol when it opened - 34.5p per gallon.

One visitor to the exhibition said: "It kept a lot of traffic out of the city and once you get used to it, its quite a good way to get on to the M6."

Another visitor said: "On the approach, I always get a little bit confused and have to slow right the way down to make sure I negotiate the correct entrance."