Ok, we were a bit bored in the waiting room earlier but this question came up..
Were motorways numbered in the order that they were built?
The M1 is the oldest motorway and is 50 years old but did the M2 come next followed by the M3?
My OH says the M69 was built before the M40 though so if they weren't done in order, why on earth were they numbered as they have been??

