Forty testing years

Summary form only given. The paper states that Millbrook is one of Europe´s leading vehicle test and development locations. The track was dreamed up in the mid 1960s after Vauxhall and Bedford felt a need for a dedicated proving ground. The importance of hills on the test track was already well established and a task force scoured the UK for a site that was both flat and hilly, unfortunately ruling out the traditional choice of a former airfield. The Millbrook emerged as the favourite contender, coincidentally but usefully close to Luton and London; a smaller version of North American General Motors´ Proving Ground was constructed. The new facility replicated many of the most successful features of the Milford site and benefited from the accumulated wisdom of more than 50 years of proving ground operation. The proving ground is now equipped with a huge range of tracks, including a network of about 73km of various rural road types, including country roads, motorways, green lanes, off-road routes and specialist test tracks.