"Give Peas a Chance" - Chalfont Viaduct, M25(N), Gerrards Cross - Buckinghamshire, UK - Graffiti on Waymarking.com

Officially called the Chalfont Viaduct, even traffic reports now refer to it as the “Give Peas A Chance Viaduct” due to the infamous graffiti it bears. It is even listed as such on Google maps (visit link)

"The M25 London orbital motorway provides very little to smile about, but painted on the side of this notable railway bridge is a cryptic message that is sure to raise a grin from even the most sour-faced commuter. But who painted the graffiti, and why? Was it a John Lennon fan who could not spell? Was it a vandalizing vegetarian activist? A proud legume enthusiast, perhaps?

In reality it was none of the above. Originally the graffiti simply read ‘“PEAS,” which was the tag of a prolific London graffiti artist. One theory is that Peas (the artist) kept getting arrested, so someone made a polite and public request on the side of the bridge for his fairer treatment.

Oxford Archaeology carried out a historic building report on the bridge in 2009 and studied the legendary graffiti as part of the noble viaduct’s architectural interest. Their conclusion was that someone else added the words “Give” and “a chance” almost immediately after the appearance of the original tag, probably as a pun on the title of John Lennon’s 1969 protest song “Give peace a chance.” Presumably, the aim was simply to amuse passing motorists on the notoriously dull, jam-prone road. Although the graffiti does divide opinions pertaining to its true meaning, it certainly brightens many journeys."

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Highway Code -

The Highway Code (rule 270) states that you must not stop on the carriageway, hard shoulder, slip road, central reservation or verge except in an emergency, or when told to do by the police, Highways Agency traffic officers in uniform, an emergency sign or by flashing red light signals.

Inappropriate use of the hard shoulder is an offence under motorway traffic regulations and incurs up to a £100 fine and three penalty points.

"For drivers on the M25, they know they're between junction 16 and 17 in Buckinghamshire when they spot the seemingly random message "GIVE PEAS A CHANCE" on a motorway bridge.

The person who did it chose a historic bridge. Built between 1902 and 1906, it is the only Edwardian brick bridge on the M25. A historic building report done by Oxford Archaeology says the slogan was painted in two stages. Firstly "PEAS" appeared, then "GIVE" and "A CHANCE" were added later.

It says "PEAS" is the tag of a London graffiti artist and his tag can been seen in many other locations, particularly on bridges. The additional text changing the graffiti to read "GIVE PEAS A CHANCE" is thought to refer to his continual arrests.

The north facing side of the bridge also has some graffiti, saying just "PEAS06".

"The common misinterpretation of the inscription makes the bridge an interesting landmark to users of the M25," says the report."

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Type of Surface: Bridge

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