An inquiry was held into widening the section from the Archway intersection to the Hornsey Lane Bridge to a three lane dual carriageway in 1969 and work started in 1971. It was originally intended to widen a further section of the road, but severe disruption led to the first inquiry being abandoned in 1978, and a second inquiry in 1984, chaired by Air Marshal Sir Michael Giddings, was also abandoned. The traffic flow was projected to increase to 180,000 cars a day by 1981, but by 1986 the actual flow was only 30,000 a day.