>>1797147cage bad, yes. however, it was 1970s and the motorways were popping up like fungi; and, from a coldly rational lizardbrain perspective, having a high-capacity road route linking the North's three largest, closest urban areas - Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds/Bradford - made sense at the time. it still does, but thankfully the Transpennine Route Upgrade is finally going to update some of the Victorian infrastructure along these routes.
(Sheffield is the next largest urban area, by the way, but there's a somewhat inconvenient mountain range in the way. Great for hikers, absolutely gorgeous Lake District scenery, not so good when snow closes Snake Pass every winter.)
