Then & Now

Motorways are the vital arteries linking Britain's towns and cities and when introduced they were revolutionary roads that changed driving for ever. Built for speed, but destined to be dangerous, they were designed to keep the country on the move. From roadworks to rescues, and the past to the present, this documentary tells the story of Britain's motorways.

Documentary looking at the role the Thames has played in London's history and the people who rely on it for their livelihoods. Throughout its long life, the river has sustained its people, but at times it has also been fierce and unpredictable.

Documentary examining the history of the airport, which opened in 1946 as London Airport and has developed into one of the busiest in the world. The film also reveals how many baggage handlers have now been replaced with robots, and how the air traffic control tower has become the most advanced in the world, using cameras that can pierce fog and artificial intelligence to collate flight data.

In the 1860s, Charles Pearson had the idea to link up some of the capital's mainline stations with a new underground railway - the birth of the so-called Tube. As well as recalling its construction, this programme also recounts the tale of a bus that played a vital part in the First World War. The B-Type - a common sight on the streets of the capital before the war - worked as troop carriers on the front line in France. Also recalled is Hannah Dadds, who in 1978 became a trailblazer for women as she stepped into the cab of a District Line train to become the first ever female Tube driver on London Transport.

The series concludes with a look at the origins of the Routemaster bus, which was engineered from Second World War aircraft technology, and a look behind the scenes in the control centre that keeps transport in London running. Plus, a look back at the Kings Cross tube disaster and a look at a project that would have seen London divided by four giant motorways.