43-615: The Colne Valley Regional Park is 43 square miles (110 km) of parks, green spaces and reservoirs alongside the often multi-channel River Colne and parallel Grand Union Canal , mainly in Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire , with parts in the London Borough of Hillingdon , Berkshire and a small area in Surrey . Much of the landscape is relatively flat – the lower reach of the Colne forming
86-618: A distributary between New Denham and Uxbridge. After this, at West Drayton , the Frays rejoins and the Wraysbury River , the second main anabranch, and Duke of Northumberland's River divide off. Soon after, at Longford , the intake is given to the Longford River , a 12-mile (19 km) artificial channel created in 1610 for King Charles I to supply the water features in Bushy Park and
129-605: A league table. Reviews have taken place every year since. The latest UK motorway service area to open is Rugby services , operated by Moto Hospitality which opened on 30 April 2021. Ireland has six official motorway service areas, but 16 in total. The first service area, Lusk services, opened on the M1 on 8 September 2010. For many years, the National Roads Authority (NRA) opposed building services, preferring traffic to use existing businesses in bypassed towns, and that
172-458: A north-eastern, which can be considered the upper Colne; and the Mimmshall Brook . Their main sources are 2.5 to 4 mi (4.0 to 6.4 km): in western Northaw , Brookmans Park , Hadley, London and Borehamwood , draining much of those places. A seasonal, intra-parochial stream runs under the seven-building village of North Mymms draining most of the park, which, with adjoining woods is
215-447: A separate site for each direction of travel, but e.g. Cobham services has a single site, accessed directly from the clockwise carriageway and via a tunnel from the anticlockwise carriageway of the M25 . In some cases a pair of on-line sites for opposite directions may be connected via a pedestrian footbridge. In 1992, the system was changed so that the developer became responsible for choosing
258-618: A similar total stretch bounding Greater London (and Spelthorne ), east and (through anabranch ditches) Buckinghamshire , west. Specifically, it passes between West Hyde, near Maple Cross , and Harefield , passes Denham Green then passes Uxbridge , where it parallels the Grand Union Canal and its first main anabranch, the Frays River which is co-fed by the Pinn between Cowley and Yiewsley , Greater London. The Colne Brook splits off as
301-633: A small square plateau, sloping down to its corners except the south-west. Shallow swallow holes of the two brooks are in North Mymms' Water End , centred on so-named combined surface flow. From the Water End Swallow Holes the Colne runs west, longer NNW, then west then receives the Ellen Brook and turns SSW, then meanders south-west, bounding central and residential Watford and Oxhey , also bounding Rickmansworth and Batchworth , then for
344-465: A square base, which was erected at Colne Bridge in 1861. It was moved from its original position to the other side of the river in 1984 when it was repaired by Watford Borough Council. It is close to the five-arched Colne Viaduct , which was built in 1837 to carry the London to Birmingham Railway over the river. Each of the arches spans around 40 feet (12 m) and is 45 feet (14 m) high. The structure
387-452: A succession of Department for Transport Circulars, the current version being issued in December 2022. This sets out various facilities that must be provided in a new service station. Existing services that do not comply, because the requirements have changed, must achieve compliance as part of any significant refurbishment. These are enforced on operators either by the terms of their lease or by
430-598: Is a Local Nature Reserve , and Frays Farm Meadows and Denham Lock Wood , which are Sites of Special Scientific Interest managed as nature reserves by the London Wildlife Trust . 51°32′20″N 0°31′44″W / 51.539°N 0.529°W / 51.539; -0.529 River Colne, Hertfordshire The Colne is a river and a tributary of the River Thames in England . Just over half its course
473-455: Is designed to resemble the flight of a stone skipping across the water. In October 2017, activists set up a protest camp at Harvil Road to oppose the construction. The protesters documented alleged environmental damage by HS2 workers over an eighteen-month period, voicing concern about the destruction of wildlife habitats and the possibility that an aquifer supplying drinking water might be affected. In relation to water quality HS2 has stated "Over
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#1732855736268516-534: Is in south Hertfordshire . Downstream, it forms the boundary between Buckinghamshire and the London Borough of Hillingdon . The confluence with the River Thames is on the Staines reach (above Penton Hook Lock ) at Staines-upon-Thames . Two of its distributaries, constructed in the 1600 – 1750 period largely for aesthetic reasons for Hampton Court and for Syon Park , have been maintained. Their main purpose
559-694: Is internationally important for wildlife. Large areas are open to the public or accessible through a network of paths. Paths stretch from Staines in the south to Rickmansworth in the north through the alluvial meadows in the valley of the River Colne. Popular attractions include Black Park , Chiltern Open Air Museum and the conservation area of Little Britain by the Grand Union Canal , Cowley . Elevations nearby range from 90 metres (300 ft) AOD on steep hillsides in Harefield , Denham and Rickmansworth , to 16 metres (52 ft) at Staines Moor . In
602-543: Is named after the River Colne and its two tributaries, the River Chess and the River Gade . Among early proposals to link the river to London was one in 1641 by Sir Edward Forde for a navigable canal, the main purpose of which seems to have been the supply of clean water, and two in 1766, for canals from Marylebone to the river at Uxbridge and another from Marylebone to West Drayton. The river underwent considerable change in
645-408: Is the lesser. A previous minimum separation of 12 miles was removed in 2013. The current 28 miles is derived from 30 minutes driving time for an HGV limited to 56 mph (90 km/h) and replaced the previous 30 miles (48 km) in 2008. Initially service areas were located between junctions (on-line sites), having their own entry and exit slip roads. On-line sites usually have
688-460: The Colne Valley regional park covering 43 square miles (110 km ). The Colne becomes universally so-named after two close subterranean streams converge at a spring , or in very wet weather in the meadows above, all along the east side (Tollgate Road) of North Mymms Park in Hertfordshire . The source streams are long, multi-source, in final, northern stages, partly underground tributaries:
731-542: The M1 motorway was opened, on 2 November 1959. Initially, most service areas were designed to be bold and attractive, with many opening viewing platforms and featuring fancy restaurants. A famous example of a service area from this era is Lancaster , which features a 65ft tower which previously contained the main restaurant. However, it became apparent in the late 1960s that such fancy amenities were unprofitable, so service areas began offering an increasingly basic service. High street brands were introduced to service areas in
774-629: The M4 , M25 , and the M40 . The park is threatened by the possibility of the Expansion of Heathrow Airport . The park has said "a huge area of the southern third of the Park will be lost. In addition to the new runway itself, there will be associated taxiways, hotels, car parks, warehousing, and offices." High Speed 2 will pass through the north of the park on the 2.1 miles (3.4 km) long Colne Valley Viaduct .The viaduct
817-593: The M42 , and Kirby Hill on the A1(M) , both of which have had applications contested. Despite concerns of local residents, Beaconsfield on the M40 opened on 17 March 2009, and Cobham services opened in September 2012. Kirby Hill would eventually get approved for construction in April 2021. In 2017, Transport Focus began an annual review of service areas, with each site ranked on
860-694: The 1790s, when the Grand Junction Canal (which became part of the Grand Union Canal in 1929) was routed along the valley and still takes the river channel for part of its course. Construction began from Brentford, where it used for 3 miles (4.8 km) the channel of the River Brent , and progressed westwards then northwards, with it reaching Uxbridge in November 1794. To reach the Midlands it continued along
903-521: The 1990s, with most facilities eventually becoming franchises of well known brands. As more service stations opened, the number of operating companies increased, with sites run by the Rank Organisation , Granada , Pavilion, Take a Break and Esso, among others. Through acquisitions and mergers, there are now only three major operators. In an attempt to break this oligopoly, in 2001, the government proposed allowing "mobile fast food vans" to operate at
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#1732855736268946-523: The Batchford area, following the construction of the Grand Junction Canal, which were resolved in 1825, when an 8.2-foot (2.5 m) obelisk was erected in a pond, to act as a water gauge. The obelisk records the agreement made between the canal company, John Dickinson who was the owner of papermills at Batchworth, and R. Williams of Moor Park, who was the landowner. From its mouth to its source,
989-606: The Chiltern ridge is most noticeable, a watershed of this basin and that of the River Great Ouse , north and east towards the Wash . The villages of Colney Heath east of St Albans , London Colney south of St Albans , Colney Street (almost wholly a large business park) north of Radlett and Colnbrook between Slough and Heathrow take their name from the river. Three Rivers District Council covers part of Hertfordshire and
1032-482: The Colne's named tributaries, anabranches and to-Thames distributaries are: 51°25′59″N 0°30′55″W / 51.43306°N 0.51528°W / 51.43306; -0.51528 Motorway service area Motorway service areas ( MSA ) also known as services or service stations , are rest areas in the UK and Ireland where drivers can leave a motorway to refuel/recharge, rest, eat and drink, shop, use
1075-662: The NRA due to the economic recession . The first of these private sites was Cashel services on the M8 , which was built by Topaz and opened on 9 June 2011. The NRA awarded the second batch of three services (Gorey, Athlone and Kilcullen) to Topaz in 2014. SuperStop objected to the decision - resulting in the construction and opening of the three services being delayed. All three sites would eventually be opened in 2019, despite Gorey being constructed as far back as 2015. The sites would also open under Circle K instead after Topaz had been rebranded under
1118-496: The Slough Arm, the river channels thread their way between many large lakes, some of which were once watercress beds, some chalk pits, and some of which were the result of brickmaking, an industry that developed over several miles of the valley after 1800, when the Grand Junction Canal company advertised the presence of good brick earth , discovered during the construction of the canal. There are two London Coal Duty markers beside
1161-545: The areas, though this idea never came to fruition. Originally, service areas were government-owned and leased to the operating companies. From 1992 onwards, new sites were planned and owned by private operators, and existing sites sold to them. In 2007, an AA survey concluded that service areas had improved in the previous three years, but cleanliness and pricing were still major issues. Opposition towards service areas has grown, with some planning applications being refused: some notable examples are Catherine-de-Barnes on
1204-568: The banner in 2018. The newest motorway service area in Ireland is the Portlaoise Plaza, which opened on 31 July 2020. The third wave of services is currently under review by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (successor to the NRA). Current government policy is that the interval between core motorway service areas should be no more than 28 miles (45 km) or 30 minutes travelling time, whichever
1247-601: The centre of the park. Almost all the land is only 16 to 42 m (52 to 138 ft) AOD , with a mixture of soils, including occasionally wet, loamy soils and clayey soils, and a small amount of naturally slightly acid heath . Passing through the park is the Colne Valley Trail or Colne Valley Way , which forms a major section of the London Loop and connects to the Hertfordshire Way north of Watford . East of
1290-551: The last six years, HS2 has worked closely with Affinity Water and the Environment Agency to monitor water quality and agree working methods.These will be monitored by a team of specialist engineers during construction in order to protect the natural environment." In May 2019, the Woodland Trust called for the clearance of trees at Colne Valley to be halted while the project was under review. In January 2020, HS2 began evicting
1333-658: The motorway network was not large enough to support them. However, in 2006 the Roads Act 2007 made provision for a Motorway Service Area Scheme to allow the construction of services. The NRA held a competition to determine an operator for the first three service areas to be opened. SuperStop, a consortium consisting of Petrogas (Applegreen) and Tedcastles Oil Products (TOP), won the contract. These first services were Lusk ( M1 ), Castlebellingham (M1) and Enfield ( M4 ) and were all opened in late 2010. Motorway services began to be developed privately from 2011, following delays from
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1376-599: The need for the Highways Agency to agree to provide access to the motorway, and planning permission should be granted only for facilities that comply. The requirements include 24-hour, 365-day provision of: A picnic area with a minimum of ten tables each seating six people was required up to 2013, and is still required in order for a picnic area to be advertised on signage. The following restrictions also apply: Lodges for accommodation are permitted. Conference facilities or business centres and retail space are permitted;
1419-520: The protest camps. A couple living in a farmhouse on the route of the railway lost a seven-year legal battle in July 2020 and were compelled to move out after HS2 Ltd compulsory purchased their home on Dews Lane. The first of the viaducts piers was cast in December 2021. The park also believes it is threatened by other proposals including motorway service stations , ‘technology parks’, Pinewood theme park and housing. The park includes Denham Country Park , which
1462-644: The rectangular lakes in Hampton Court Park . The Colne's drainage basin extends almost as far north again as its northern limit – the inflowing Gade , Ver and Misbourne extend well into the Chilterns . Opposite, the other 2 ⁄ 3 of outer west and north-west London is drained by the Pymmes Brook , Brent , or Crane sub-basins of the Thames. In the north-west, centred on Tring 's northern boundary
1505-621: The river channel until its junction with the River Gade, which it ran parallel to, but did not take over the channel. The Slough Arm was built in 1882 which required three aqueducts to carry it close to its junction with the Grand Junction, to cross the Fray's River, the River Colne and the Colne Brook. Between Croxley Green , where the River Gade joins the Colne, and Thorney / West Drayton , below
1548-496: The river, which mark points at which duty became payable on coal entering the London area. The first is on the north side of the river in Colney Heath Local Nature Reserve , and is a square-section cast iron pillar made by Henry Grissell at his Regents Canal ironworks and erected in 1861 or 1862. It is 5 feet (1.5 m) high and is painted white. The second is a stone obelisk, 13 feet (4.0 m) high, with
1591-937: The site of a motorway service area, and consequently junction sites became the preferred option as they are cheaper to construct, as well as being accessible to traffic travelling in several directions. Following a public consultation in 2007/8, the Department for Transport/Highways Agency announced that new services should be located at on-line sites, unless a junction site is the only possibility. Two recent openings, Wetherby (2008) and Beaconsfield (2009), are examples of junction sites: they are located at A1(M) junction 46, and M40 junction 2 respectively. However, more recently still, Cobham (2012) and Gloucester (2014) are on-line. The siting of motorway service areas can be contentious, leading to protracted public inquiries, and often vociferous local campaigns against proposed schemes. Government policy for motorway services has been set out in
1634-661: The size of each of these was limited, basically to 200 and 500 m (2,200 and 5,400 sq ft) respectively, until 2013, but are now left to the planning system. Originally, service areas were allowed to sell alcohol with food. Sale of alcohol was outlawed on service areas on government-owned land from 1961, permitted from 1998, banned for new sites from 2008, and permitted again from 2013. The government policy distinguishes "service areas" and "rest areas". There are three rest areas ( Todhills , Leeming Bar , and Scotch Corner ). All were existing facilities on trunk roads that were upgraded to motorways, and now, in fact, meet
1677-550: The south, the area includes Staines Moor, the Staines Reservoirs and the King George VI Reservoir . The reservoirs support nationally important wintering populations of tufted ducks, pochard , goosander and goldeneye . Being situated on the edge of London, the park is threatened by many proposed developments. The park has claimed it is "fighting for its life." The park is already crossed by three motorways :
1720-453: The toilet or stay in an on-site overnight hotel. They are also a safe refuge for drivers who break down alongside leaving at a motorway junction. The vast majority of motorway services in the UK are owned by one of three companies: Moto , Welcome Break and Roadchef . Smaller operators include Extra , Westmorland and EG Group . The first two service areas in the UK, Watford Gap and Newport Pagnell , opened with temporary facilities when
1763-460: The village of Denham , and west of the villages of Cowley and Harefield , and the town of Uxbridge , the Colne Valley regional park contains a mixture of farmland, woodland and water, 50 miles (80 km) of river and canal and over forty lakes, which help to regulate the flow of the major Thames tributary and provide fish for angling . The park is a regionally important place of recreation and
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1806-415: Was designed by Robert Stephenson , and is grade II listed . At London Colney, there is a seven-arched brick bridge which carries Barnet Road over the river. It dates from 1774 and is called Telford's Bridge, although it is not thought to have been designed by Thomas Telford . It was modified in the 20th century when parapets and railings were added. There was a long-running dispute over water levels in
1849-644: Was not drinking water but these can be likened to the New River in scale and in date. Crossing its route, many viaducts and a canal, the intersecting Grand Union Canal , have been recognised for pioneering engineering during the Industrial Revolution . Digging for gravel and clay along its lower course near Rickmansworth has created a belt of flooded pits below the water table, as established lakes, many of which are well-adapted habitats for wildlife, protected as nature reserves. The river, meadows and lakes form
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