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[mab01uk]

Opened on 5 December 1958 by Harold Macmillan, prime minister at the time of its inauguration, the by-pass was described by The Engineer as ‘of special significance’ due to its status of being the first road in the British Isles for motor traffic only, designed to full motorway standards and eventually forming part of what would become the M6.
The road was of special interest as an achievement in civil engineering construction, with its design described as being ‘as modern in concept as the traffic aspect, set out to take the maximum advantage of mechanised constructional methods.’
https://www.theengin...ch-of-motorway/

Opening of the Preston By-pass Motorway :-
https://theengineer..../12/Dec1958.pdf

 

[Cooperman]

I can remember it opening.
It was not until almost a year later that the M1 was opened from near Watford to Rugby.
In fact I went from Hatfield to Luton using the spur M10 to join the M1 at Hemel Hempstead and thus to J10 for Luton. I was in my friend's Renault 750 - flat out at 60 mph.