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:M4 corridor

{{Short description|Motorway-adjacent area from London to South Wales}}

{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}

The M4 corridor is an area in the United Kingdom adjacent to the M4 motorway, which runs from London to South Wales.{{cite book |title=The English Landscape in the Twentieth Century|first1=Trevor|last1=Rowley|publisher=Continuum International Publishing Group|year=2006|isbn=9781852853884|page=47|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SZWI2kYEhTcC&q=%22M4+corridor%22+technology| access-date=12 March 2012}} It is a major hi-tech hub.[https://web.archive.org/web/20170811010244/https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/article/ncc030283.pdf Norfolk Council economic report]{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/technology-companies/8105897/Tech-Map-of-Britain-M4-corridor.html|title=Tech Map of Britain: M4 corridor|access-date=7 November 2010|work=The Telegraph|date=3 November 2010}} Important cities and towns linked by the M4 include (from east to west) London, Slough, Bracknell, Maidenhead, Reading, Newbury, Swindon, Bath, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff, Port Talbot and Swansea. The area is also served by the Great Western Main Line, the South Wales Main Line, and London Heathrow Airport.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/04/24/business/britain-s-science-corridor.html?sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all|title=Britain's science corridor|access-date=7 November 2010|work=The New York Times|date=24 April 1983}} Technology companies with major operations in the area include Adobe, Amazon, Citrix Systems, Dell, Huawei, Lexmark, LG, Microsoft, Novell, Nvidia, O2, Oracle, Panasonic, SAP, and Symantec.

England

File:Reading International Business Park - geograph.org.uk - 182264.jpg, a telecommunications company. They were formerly the European headquarters of WorldCom before its demise]]

The east end of the English M4 corridor is home to a large number of technology companies, particularly in Berkshire, Swindon and the Thames Valley.{{cite web|author=Technology Companies |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/technology-companies/8105897/Tech-Map-of-Britain-M4-corridor.html |title=Tech Map of Britain: M4 corridor |work=The Telegraph |date=3 November 2010 |access-date=7 July 2013}} For this reason this part of the M4 corridor is sometimes described as England's "Silicon Valley". Slough, Windsor, Maidenhead, Reading, Bracknell and Newbury are the main towns in the Berkshire stretch of the M4.

Reading is home to many information technology and financial services businesses, including Cisco, Microsoft,{{cite web|url=http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/about/offices/readinghq.aspx |title=Microsoft UK Headquarters, Reading |publisher=Microsoft.com |access-date=7 July 2013}} ING Direct,{{cite web|url=http://www.ingdirect.co.uk/careers/our_offices.asp |title=ING Direct UK HQ |publisher=Ingdirect.co.uk |access-date=7 July 2013}} Oracle,{{cite web|url=http://www.oracle.com/uk/corporate/contact/index.html |title=Oracle UK HQ |publisher=Oracle.com |access-date=7 July 2013}} Prudential,{{cite web|url=http://www.pru.co.uk/careers/locations/ |title=Prudential UK locations |publisher=Pru.co.uk |access-date=7 July 2013}} Yell Group{{cite web|url=http://www.yellgroup.com/contact-yell/our-locations/head-office |title=Yell Group HQ |publisher=Yellgroup.com |access-date=7 July 2013}} and Ericsson.{{cite web|url=http://www.ericsson.com/thecompany/company_facts/worldwide/eu/uk |title=Ericsson UK Sites |publisher=Ericsson.com |access-date=7 July 2013}} Vodafone has a major corporate campus in Newbury,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/8116198.stm |title=BBC Vodafone moves world HQ to London |work=BBC News |date=24 June 2009 |access-date=7 July 2013}} O2 plc is in Slough.{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinteriors.co.uk/flexible-working-o2-pilo/ |title=Flexible Working Pilot for O2 Head Office |publisher=Business Interiors |date=10 February 2012 |access-date=7 July 2013}} Maidenhead is the home of Hutchison 3G UK's headquarters{{cite web|url=http://www.three.co.uk/About_Three/Office_locations |title=Hutchison 3G office locations |publisher=Three.co.uk |access-date=7 July 2013}} and Tesla Motors' UK head office.{{cite web|title=Contact Tesla Motors|url=http://www.teslamotors.com/en_GB/contact|publisher=teslamotors.com|access-date=13 March 2014}}

Investment has gradually spread westwards since the 1980s.{{cite web|url=http://histru.bournemouth.ac.uk/Oral_History/Talking_About_Technology/computing/computing_thames_valley.htm |title=OHRU Thames Valley to Silicon Valley and the M4 Corridor |publisher=Histru.bournemouth.ac.uk |access-date=7 July 2013}} In the west, the interchange of the M4 and M5 motorways north of Bristol had seen considerable growth of industries by the mid 1990s.{{cite web |url=http://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/assets/documents/Bristol%20local%20economic%20assessment%20March%202011_0.pdf |title=Bristol Economic Assessment March 2011 |access-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117004736/http://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/assets/documents/Bristol%20local%20economic%20assessment%20March%202011_0.pdf |archive-date=17 November 2012 |df=dmy-all }}

Wales

Image:New severn bridge best 750pix.jpg carries the M4 motorway between England and Wales|alt=]]

Image:Digital Technium Swansea University.jpg]]

The major Welsh towns and cities along the M4 corridor are Bridgend, Cardiff, Llanelli, Neath, Newport, Port Talbot and Swansea. South Wales is an industrial heartland of the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/wales_and_devolution.htm|title=History Learning Site - Wales and devolution|date=11 January 2011|publisher=BBC|access-date=7 July 2013}}

The 1980s and 1990s saw the development of the Swansea Enterprise Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.swansea.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=1420 |title=Swansea Council - Business |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |date=12 June 2013 |access-date=7 July 2013}} The Celtic Manor Resort, adjacent to the M4 in Newport, has received significant investment{{cite web|url=http://www.celtic-manor.com/history.aspx |title=Celtic Manor Resort - History |publisher=Celtic-manor.com |access-date=7 July 2013}} and hosted the 2010 Ryder Cup.{{cite web |url=http://www.rydercup.com/2010/europe/course/ |title=2010 Ryder Cup - Europe |publisher=Rydercup.com |access-date=7 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101211103018/http://www.rydercup.com/2010/europe/course/ |archive-date=11 December 2010 |url-status=dead }} Newport has seen significant growth in the electronics industry since the late 1980s.{{cite web |url=http://www.newport.gov.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/plans_and_strategies/n_023751.pdf |title=Draft |access-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060506094520/http://www.newport.gov.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/plans_and_strategies/n_023751.pdf |archive-date=6 May 2006 }}{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/653794.stm |title=Workers hope as billionaire sells firm |work=BBC News |date=23 February 2000 |access-date=7 July 2013}} The 1990s saw significant investment in Cardiff, such as in Cardiff Gate and the Cardiff Bay area.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/721084.stm |title=Bay investment is 'obscene' says MP |work=BBC News |date=20 April 2000 |access-date=7 July 2013}} One site of note on the M4 corridor is Port Talbot Steelworks – the largest steel producer in the UK and one of the biggest in Europe.{{cite web |url=http://wales.gov.uk/news/archivepress/enterprisepress/einpress2005/707312/?lang=en |title=WAG News 2005 - Port Talbot's new £80m Steel Caster officially opens |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |access-date=7 July 2013 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The opening of the Second Severn Crossing in 1996 resulted in the previous M4 and bridge, serving Chepstow, being renumbered the M48, although the area is still generally considered as falling within the M4 corridor.{{cite web|url=http://www.creatingmedia.co.uk/creating-media/our-approach/ |title=Creating Media |date=12 May 2012 |access-date=7 July 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://www.investinsouthwales.com/location/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310041946/http://www.investinsouthwales.com/location/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-03-10 |title=Capital Wales |publisher=Investinsouthwales.com |access-date=7 July 2013 }}

Since the start of the 21st century there has been evidence of more investment west of Cardiff, such as:

  • Port Talbot
  • Aberavon Beach{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-17217505 |title=Neath Port Talbot council investing in Aberavon Beach |publisher=BBC |date=7 March 2012 |access-date=7 July 2013}}
  • Baglan Industrial Park
  • Baglan Energy Park{{cite web|url=http://www.npt.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=389 |title=Baglan Energy Park |publisher=NPT |date=10 November 2010 |access-date=7 July 2013}}
  • {{convert|33|acre|ha|adj=on}} Amazon.co.uk fulfilment centre at Crymlyn Burrows{{cite web|author=metrowebukmetro |url=http://www.metro.co.uk/news/43270-amazon-to-create-hundreds-of-jobs |title=Amazon to create hundreds of jobs |publisher=Metro |date=29 March 2007 |access-date=7 July 2013}}
  • Swansea
  • Maritime Quarter{{cite web|url=http://www.swanseadocks.co.uk/Dock%20History.htm |title=History |publisher=Swansea Docks |date=9 October 1937 |access-date=7 July 2013}}
  • SA1 development
  • Swansea Vale{{cite web|url=http://swansea.devplan.org.uk/document.aspx?document=50&display=chapter&id=379 |title=CCS - Development |publisher=Swansea.devplan.org.uk |access-date=7 July 2013}}
  • Felindre
  • Llanelli
  • Dafen/Llanelli Gate{{cite web |url=http://www.llanelligate.com/ |title=Llanelli Gate |publisher=Llanelli Gate |access-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130608185152/http://llanelligate.com/ |archive-date=8 June 2013 }}
  • Parc Hendre{{cite web |url=http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/english/business/inwardinvestment/pages/strategicsites.aspx |title=Carmarthenshire Council - Strategic Sites |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |date=9 December 2008 |access-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509135054/http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/english/business/inwardinvestment/pages/strategicsites.aspx |archive-date=9 May 2013 }}
  • Parc Trostre and Parc Pemberton
  • Llanelli Waterside, including North Dock and Delta Lakes{{cite web |url=http://www.llanelli-waterside.co.uk/index.html |title=Llanelli Waterside |publisher=Llanelli Waterside |access-date=7 July 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130616021323/http://www.llanelli-waterside.co.uk/index.html |archive-date=16 June 2013 }}
  • Ffos Las racecourse{{cite web|url=http://www.newswales.co.uk/index.cfm?section=Sport&F=1&id=17109 |title=New Wales racecourse goes flat out |publisher=News Wales |date=13 July 2009 |access-date=7 July 2013}}
  • Cross Hands
  • Cross Hands Food Park
  • Cross Hands Business Park

See also

References

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External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20160112085109/http://teachers.guardian.co.uk/Guardian_RootRepository/Saras/ContentPackaging/UploadRepository/learnpremium/Lesson/learnpremium/geogra~00/keysta~06/thereg~00/m4corr~00/advant~01/default.htm The Guardian: Advantages of the M4 corridor as a business location]

{{Economy of the United Kingdom}}

{{Science and technology in the United Kingdom}}

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Category:Economy of England

Category:Economy of Wales

Category:High-technology business districts in the United Kingdom

Category:Information technology places

Category:M4 motorway

Category:Regions of England

Category:Regions of Wales

Category:Science and technology in Berkshire

Category:South East England