The Western Region faced particularly stiff competition for its prime inter-city services in the mid to late 1970s from the M4 motorway and it was generally felt within BR that a significant speed and comfort increase on the prime Paddington-Bristol route were necessary.
It is based at HM Naval Base Clyde and the holder of the post is the Royal Navy’s senior officer in Scotland with representational duties everywhere north of the M4.
The walk then continues past Snuff Mills and on to the Oldbury Court Estate, passing beneath Frenchay Common, then to Cleeve Bridge before passing under the M4 motorway at Hambrook.
The Glamorgan Business School is also accessed via the M4 motorway.
Today the barracks have good connections to the A419 and A417 trunk roads allowing easy access to the whole of the southern England, via the M4 and M5 Motorway.
A large part of the district is sandwiched between the M40 and M4 motorways, both of which have junctions within the district.
The M4 motorway runs east-west through the region, connecting it with South West Wales and London.
From the M4 (approx 20 mins): exit the motorway at Junction 18.
M4 motorway | M1 motorway | M6 motorway | Hemus motorway | M25 motorway | M5 motorway | M2 Hills Motorway | M40 motorway | M54 motorway | M11 motorway | Northwestern Motorway | M90 motorway | M63 motorway | M60 motorway | M16 motorway | Logan Motorway | Cherno More motorway | Wellington Urban Motorway | North West Motorway Police Group | Motorway City | M65 motorway | M61 motorway | M606 motorway | M4 Western Motorway | M4 motorway (Ireland) | M4 motorway (Great Britain) | M48 motorway | M27 motorway | M23 motorway | M20 motorway |
The stream then passes under the M4 motorway and turns to the west past Brinkworth, joined on the right by the Thunder Brook near Dovey's Farm.
On leaving the Colne at Uxbridge Moor in the Colne Valley regional park, the Colne Brook flows close by to the west until West Drayton then passes under the M25 motorway at the M4 "Thorney interchange", enters Berkshire and flows through the village of Colnbrook.
After passing under the M4 motorway, the stream passes between the Green Park Business Park and the Madejski Stadium and football centre west of Whitley, where it provides the water for the meadow-landscaped lakes.
Travelling from east to west, after leaving the M4 at Awkley, Junction 21, near Olveston in England, the M48 begins by heading north-west towards Aust, Junction 1.
East Pontprennau, adjacent to the M4 motorway junction 30, is the commercial sector of the development, housing Cardiff Gate Business Park, Cardiff Gate services, and Cardiff Gate Retail Park.
The M4 motorway runs west-east through the northern portion of the parish, near the county's old Shire Hall, now the offices of Foster Wheeler; the part to the north of the M4 corresponds closely with the part known as Shinfield Park.