The first roads of Great Britain were built by the Romans, who had the luxury of their own surveyors, engineers and access to much of the equipment that would be required to undertake this type of construction work.
Availability of local materials dictated the extent to which the roads could be built, which were somewhat limited, though allowed the similar basic principles that they were used to using to be initiated.
The first roads took the form of an embankment which was raised above the level of the surrounding land, with drainage ditches on both sides and was built upon several layers of rock, stones, gravel and sand in successive order.
As these roads were put to rather heavy use, it was important that they were hard wearing, thus the implementation of gravel finishes on long roads, while cobbled stones were used within towns and areas of significant population. Roman roads were rarely any less wide than 3 metres, which allowed two, two wheeled vehicles to pass one another, and were famously built as straight as physically possible. The Romans never worried about whose land they were building on, as they were the conquerors that did exactly as they wanted. Where they came across obstacles, they would seek suitable crossing points at rivers, and where possible by passed mountains and forests.
The primary reason for this mammoth task of road building was indeed to speed up the movement of troops, through communication and haulage of goods became equally important as time passed. In Great Britain, the Roman economy was largely based upon estates and agricultural, allowing large amounts of food (that needed transportation through early haulage) to their army and the urban populations. The third and fourth centuries say a large pottery and other related goods grow, of which the roads allowed for smooth transportation.
Roman roads did in fact become their own problem as it soon allowed invading barbarians to to travel along them in as just as quick amounts of time. Some roads were consequently blocked up and it then led to a slower development into road infrastructure.
Roads such as Fosse Way and Watling Street are famous roads that run many miles across Great Britain, of which can still be experienced in one way or another, though with of course, updated structures and upgrades that ensure modern usage.
It is fascinating to rediscover the early history of roads in our country, understanding exactly how industries such as road haulage and all related transport industries have been developed. Long and convenient roads have allowed road haulage from Cheshire to reach the furthest southern points of the UK with relative ease, thus allowing haulage in the UK to grow exponentially.
