A577

The A577 is a relatively long A-road in south Lancashire.

Route

Section 1: Boothstown – Atherton

Bridge carrying the Wigan-Manchester line over the A577

This road starts off at the A572 TOTSO in Boothstown, where it climbs uphill to cross the A580 at traffic lights before snaking up into Tyldesley. There is a mini roundabout where the A5082 heads north, followed shortly after by a traffic-light set where the A5082 heads off the other way. The road proceeds into the centre of Tyldesley, where there is a one-way system, before climbing up into Atherton. Here there are two short one-way blocks, the first where the A579 meets with the A577, and the A577 gains primary route status. The two blocks are linked in between by a short 20mph section. The road continues to proceed west, back to 30mph, via a small roundabout, up to a larger roundabout at the A579.

Section 2: Atherton – Orrell

Dangerous Corner

The A577 continues west, heading up through Hindley Green, passing the top of the A578 at traffic lights. There is a roundabout, built to improve access to a recently built housing estate, but apart from that, the road is relatively simple. The road heads into Hindley, crossing the A58 at a recently remodelled signal-controlled junction; there is another set of signals just after, which is a spur from the A577 to the northerly A58. The road then proceeds into Wigan, passing through two sets of traffic lights at local roads, and then TOTSOs at a minor road at a mini roundabout. The A577 then heads into Wigan, crossing the A573, then meeting the A49.

The A577 multiplexes the A49 towards the South until it parts again via two opposite one-way roads. It then joins briefly and splits again as it passes Wigan Pier, and then joins Saddle Junction (a traffic-lit gyratory near the JJB Stadium). This entire section used to multiplex the A49, and the A49 previously split off Southbound at Saddle Junction. However, the A49 has been rerouted across the little-used Westwood Way bypass in the Summer of 2020, leaving the single-carriageway section of what was the A49 to be downgraded to be the B5386 up to where it meets the A571 before Saddle Junction.

There are a few sets of traffic lights and the A577 briefly breaks up into two one-ways in the Pemberton district of Wigan. The road then arrives at the M58 at a small traffic light junction, which is in the form of a single-carriageway leading to Orrell Interchange (J26 on the M6 and J6 on the M58). At this junction, the A577 here loses its primary status. There is another set of traffic lights at the Orrell Post junction with the B5206.

Section 3: Orrell – Skelmersdale

After the B5206 crossroads, the A577 starts to descend as it enters Up Holland. The road narrows and there are several gentle corners as the road continues to narrow until the junction with Church Street, a local unclassified road.

At the Church Street junction, the A577 turns sharply to the left, and begins to widen out as it now ascends through Up Holland. The road narrows again as it approaches a hairpin, and continues to ascend as you swing round the hairpin.

Around a quarter of a mile later, the A577 comes to a sharp and very narrow section of road as it enters Hall Green. As you enter Hall Green, you come to a double mini roundabout with two unclassified roads.

The road undulates as it passes through Hall Green, and into Newgate. This is where there is another double mini roundabout. After the undulating section, the A577 becomes more level and straightens out as it approaches another mini roundabout. To continue along the A577, all traffic has to TOTSO onto Newgate Road, a straight section of the A577 built at the same time as Skelmersdale new town.

As Newgate Road comes to an end, there is another mini roundabout with a road leading to a 1990s housing estate. There is another TOTSO as all A577 traffic has to turn left onto Windmill Road.

As Windmill Road comes to an end, there is a large roundabout, with clear signs that there was meant to be a flyover, because there are huge earth banks on both sides of it.

To stay on the A577 you have to do another TOTSO (although the B5312 ahead is the original line of the A577), either onto a spur to the left or the mainline of the A577 to the right. The spur is D2, and leads to the bizarre Junction 5 of the M58 and the main industrial area of Skelmersdale, the amusingly named Pimbo.

At the end of the spur traffic may head back to the main A577; this means a 360° loop around a loop road.

As you head towards the Windmill Road junction, you descend down what were originally intended to be slip roads onto the roundabout.

Stannanought Road, Skelmersdale

Onto the roundabout, and you have to ascend the slip roads as you come onto the mainline of the A577. This is known as Stannanought road, and is an S2; however, if you look to the right, there is ample cleared space to fit another carriageway. Stannanought Road is straight, and unfortunately is a haven for those wishing to explore the performance of their car.

The straight section comes to a screaming halt, as the A577 comes round a near-90° bend at the bottom of a hill. As the road straightens out again, there is evidence that a second carriageway was planned. The road soon comes to a halt as it comes to a roundabout, and soon after, another one.

The third in the series of roundabouts is the Mile Roundabout, one of the biggest in Europe, although it's only half a mile in circumference. This, like many other roundabouts in Skem, was originally intended to be a GSJ. After the Mile Roundabout, the A577 finally becomes straight again, but soon comes to another roundabout, and then another! After this roundabout, the A577 comes to a flowing left-hand corner. After this, there is another roundabout, this time with the B5312. The arrival of this roundabout means that there is yet another TOTSO, where all traffic has to turn right, back onto the old A577, through the village of Blaguegate.

Section 4: Skelmersdale – Ormskirk

Approaching Ormskirk

The A577 ascends slightly into the village of Westhead. It turns to the left slightly, and then begins to straighten as it passes Ormskirk High School. Past the school, the A577 begins to enter a built up area, and into the market town of Ormskirk. The A577 ends in the Ormskirk one-way system at a signal-controlled junction with the A570 Knowsley Road, which carries southbound traffic through town. Continue ahead onto Moor Street (which is either the A570 or A577) to gain access to the northbound A570).

History

Details of the Wigan Inner Ring Road section can be found on the Wigan page. The first section opened in 1986.