h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I too, unfortunately, use the M4 regularly. I usually have no good reason to, it just suits me sometimes. Peronsally I agree with you in that I would rather travel by train, preferably not one that is prone to seting itself on fire!
The M4 however is not so bad as you say. It does indeed have a few well placed service stations, a few not so well placed towns along the way, such as Hungerford - to which all traffic from the motorway converges on one tiny roundabout next to a petrol station. Swindon, being the only place even remotely close to civilistaion near where I live should not be, as you have been doing, insulted. I expect a full and proper apology from the people at hg2g right now. If I don't get one then I will be forced to ensure that pestillence and the general destruction of everything continues for another century at least, you have been warned.

Hey, you can't fool me: I've been to Swindon, and this entry has the full backing of someone I know who even *lived* there. (Um, if you can't tell, I'm being, like the article, somewhat tongue-in-cheek!)

I could have picked on a number of towns, to be honest, such as Reading, Newbury, or the very scary Newport. But I didn't. I'm sure the hardy people of Swindon can take it, that is if they don't get mashed by your 'pestillence' first.

From the orginal post "Eventually, you do get to the Severn Bridge and the rather more interesting countryside of Wales, but as the motorway then decides to become only two lanes for most of its remainder (and therefore technically a dual carriageway) I don't think that really counts. (And also, I would prefer to think of Wales unspoiled by large gray scars in its beautiful landscape.) "

I'd like to address the above.

Trade and industry is the lifeblood of any country.
Roads are the arteries and veins that carry that blood.
Industries cling to major roads.
The majority of Wales’ wealth clings to the M4.

The M4 is great for Wales. A wider M4 in Wales would be greater still and more roads like the M4 would be greater yet again.

Prosperous England‘s road system is far superior to poverty stricken Wales’.
Wales has been very much neglected while England’s roads have in comparison developed in leaps and bounds.

If anything we need many many more grey scars. We need to catch up with England. Natural beauty does not feed the families of Wales.