A461

A461

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From:

Stourbridge (SO889847)

To:

Lichfield (SK113087)

Via:

Dudley • Walsall

Length:

23.2 miles (37.3 km)

Meets:

M6, M6 Toll, A5, A51, A454, A458, A462, A491, A4123

Primary Destinations

Brownhills • Dudley • Stourbridge • Walsall •

Highways Authorities

Dudley • Sandwell • Staffordshire • Walsall

Traditional Counties

Staffordshire • Worcestershire

Route outline (key)

A461	Stourbridge - Dudley
A461	Dudley - Great Bridge
(A41)	Great Bridge - Wednesbury
A461	Wednesbury - Walsall Ring Road
(A4148)	Walsall Ring Road
A461	Walsall Ring Road - Brownhills
A461	Brownhills - Lichfield

The A461 is an important route crossing the Black Country from south-west to north-east before heading out into the Staffordshire countryside and terminating in the cathedral city of Lichfield.

Route

The A461 starts on the A458 to the west of Stourbridge, then meets the A491 after about 3/4 of a mile. It then heads for Dudley, where it becomes dual at the late 1990s Dudley southern by-pass, avoiding the former nightmare trip through the town centre. It then turns right near Dudley Castle, and heads east, where it crosses the A4123 at Burnt Tree, and heads for Wednesbury.

The A461 near the M6 Toll

It reaches the 1990s A41 Black Country Spine Road, and multiplexes northwards for approximately 1.5 miles, where it turns back north-eastwards towards Wednesbury Town Centre, where it meets the A462, and turns towards Walsall. Under the M6 at Junction 9 it goes, (mind the Ikea queue on a Sunday!) and meets the A4148 Walsall Ring Road, where like all roads in the area, it disappears into a mysterious numbering black hole, although the former (and maybe even current) route does display route confirmation signs with A461 at the top.

It certainly leaves the A4148 at the large junction near the Arboretum, where it is multiplexed with the A454 for a short distance before heading for Brownhills, where it meets the A452, before it crosses the M6 Toll without a junction and then on towards the A5 at Muckley Corner. Following the junction, it heads straight for the cathedral city of Lichfield, finally ending on the A51 at a huge roundabout junction.