Lichfield

Lichfield is a cathedral city in Staffordshire. It is situated close to the centre of the UK road network, some 22 km north-northeast of Birmingham. The Roman roads known as Watling Street and Icknield Street – roughly corresponding to the modern A5 and A38 – crossed at Letocetum (Wall) just over 3 km southwest of the city. Today Lichfield is also close to the M6 Toll motorway, accessed by junctions at Weeford (T4) and Wall Island (T5).

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A38	Burton upon Trent	Accessed via A5127
A38	Birmingham
A51	Tamworth
A51	Rugeley
A515	Ashbourne
A5127	Streethay
A5192		Lichfield Northern Ring Road
A5206	Brownhills	Brownhills is reached via A5148 and A5
A5127	Sutton Coldfield

History

1928 The Friary

The new A38 route from the new crossroads at Bird Street / Bore Street to Birmingham Road, with a A461 spur from a triangular junction to Walsall Road, was opened on 23 April 1928 by Lady Cooper. It relieved the A38 / A51 multiplex along St. John Street and the A461 / A51 junction at Queen Street / Bird Street. It had 30 foot carriageways and 10 foot footpaths in a boulevard style. The Friary Estate had been given to the City by Sir Richard Cooper, former MP for Walsall, in memory of his father. Works cost was £34,000. The Ministry paid half, the County Council £5,000 and Sir Richard paid the City’s share of £6,650. The section from The Friary Roundabout to Birmingham Road later became A51 with the other parts unclassified.

1955 Levetts Field Bypass

A short, more direct deviation of the then B5312 at Levetts Field, north of the City railway station (A38 continued through the town). It was initially described as a bypass. Later renumbered as A5127.

1960 Western Bypass

The A51 Western Bypass opened in May 1960. Estimated cost £127,000.

1971 Eastern Bypass

The 4 mile A38 dual carriageway from Streethay to Wall Island was opened on 27 April 1971 by Herbert Bourne, Chairman of Staffordshire Roads and Bridges Committee. Cost £2.75 million. Provision was made to build a flyover from A5 West to A38 North at Wall Island but this was never built.

1991 Swan Link Road

Swan Link Road, a bypass of Bird Street, was opened on 28 April 1991 per the Noise Insulation Regulations notice.

Maps

1922-23 routes	1947 - showing the A38 along The Friary	1962 - A51 Western Bypass, The Friary Roundabout and B5312 Levetts Field Bypass all shown	1973 - A38 Eastern Bypass shown