Star.pngStar.pngStar.pngStar grey.pngStar grey.png

M54

From Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
M54
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (77)
From:  Essington (SJ966036)
To:  Wellington, Shropshire (SJ631105)
Distance:  23 miles (37 km)
Meets:  M6, A5, A41, A449
Former Number(s):  A5(M)
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

National Highways

Traditional Counties

Shropshire • Staffordshire

Route outline (key)
M54 Wolverhampton - Wellington
Junction List
Junc Westbound Eastbound
M6 J10A M6
1 A460 A460
2 A449 A4510 (A449)
3 A41 A41
4 A464 A464
Services symbol.gif Telford services (at J4)
5 A4539
5 B5072 A5
6 A5223 A5223
7 A5, B5061
Globe.png
For detailed information about this topic, see Roads.org.uk Motorway Database
View from Middle Hattons Bridge

The M54 is a motorway linking the M6, Wolverhampton and Telford to North and Mid Wales. The Wellington Bypass section was originally allocated the number A5(M) before becoming M54 prior to opening.

The first section through Telford opened in 1975, with the eastern extention to Wolverhampton and the M6 opening in 1983.

In order to improve the environmental impact of the motorway, it is almost entirely within cutting between junctions 2 and 5, with now-mature tree and shrub growth on the emankments, and so it is very easy to become disoriented as to the exact location along the motorway - something that Driver Location Signs now assist with. Junction 5 was originally to the east of its present location, and was a half-diamond junction with A5. This was moved to the present location when the motorway was extended eastwards, and paid for by the Telford New Town Development Corporation in order to give better access to the Town Centre.

Early Planning

Three route options from the early 1970s

The section between J5-7 opened as planned and isn't covered here.

Detailed proposals for the section between the M6 and J5 were first established in 1969. Three basic corridors were investigated along with several variations within each. The earliest studies favoured the southern route as built as the preferred option but this didn't stop work on refining the other routes. The middle route was withdrawn sometime between 1971 and 1972 leaving just the northern and southern routes. It is known that in 1972 Shropshire County Council supported the northern route while Telford Development Corporation and central government supported the southern route. By now the northern route gained an additional junction at Crackleybank. Shropshire County Council produced revised plans omitting this junction and made improvements to Pickmere Roundabout saving five houses and around £200,000 at 1972 prices. They recommended these changes to the Department of the Environment whose response is not known.

The southern route meanwhile had numerous different lines to be investigated. These were gradually narrowed down to the point that in early 1971 the preferred route was established which matches the line perfectly of the motorway as built 12 years later. In 1973 this route was confirmed by the government effectively killing off the northern route for good.

Following a review of the roads programme and as a result of lower traffic forecasts, as reported in the Policy for Roads: England 1978, it was scaled back to D2M instead of the original D3M and the long drawn out public inquiry meant it was not opened until 1983.

One member of the Midlands Road Construction Unit recalled that the route of the M54 was "very political" and "the most difficult project" that the RCU had dealt with.

Services

Telford services

Telford Services - Geograph - 964657.jpg

Main Article: Telford services

Telford services opened in 2003, and are located a short distance away from junction 4 along A464. During the planning phase, the MSA was known as Shifnal services as it was outside the Telford town boundary. It is a small single-site MSA operated by Welcome Break.

Opening Dates

For detailed information about this section, see Roads.org.uk Motorway Database: M54 Timeline

Future Plans

An improved connection at the eastern end to the M6 (north) and M6Toll is currently being planned.

Main Article: M54 to M6 Link



Links

Roads.org.uk

Pathetic Motorways




M54
Projects
Junctions
Services
Places
Related Pictures
View gallery (77)
20141010 075247-1-.jpgErroneous A5223 sign.jpgGailey Island with M54 Northern Route 2.pngCrackleybank Interchange.pngFeatherstone 2007 Option D7.png
Other nearby roads
Wolverhampton
A41 • A446(M) • A449 • A454 • A457 • A459 • A460 • A462 • A463 • A464 • A464 (Oaken - Nantwich) • A4038 • A4039 • A4098 • A4123 • A4124 • A4126 • A4150 • A4444 • A4510 • B4155 • B4156 • B4157 • B4158 (Wolverhampton) • B4159 • B4160 (Wolverhampton) • B4161 • B4162 • B4162 (Monmore Green - Deepfields) • B4163 • B4164 (Moxley - Ocker Hill) • B4200 • B4454 (Wednesfield) • B4464 • B4483 • B4484 • B4563 • B4590 • Bilston Link Motorway • C6 (Staffordshire) • C40 (Staffordshire) • C108 (Staffordshire) • C114 (Staffordshire) • C116 (Staffordshire) • C137 (Staffordshire) • C153 (Staffordshire) • C170 (Staffordshire) • C184 (Staffordshire) • C234 (Staffordshire) • C259 (Staffordshire) • C260 (Staffordshire) • C272 (Staffordshire) • C273 (Staffordshire) • C335 (Staffordshire) • C500 (Staffordshire) • E33 (London - Glasgow) • E34 (Old System) • Holyhead Road • M6 • M6 Toll • NCN81 • Northern and Western Motorway • T11 (Britain) • T14 (Britain) • T49 (Britain) • T50 (Britain) • U99 (Wolverhampton) • U110 (Wolverhampton) • U111 (Wolverhampton) • U112 (Wolverhampton) • U113 (Wolverhampton) • U114 (Wolverhampton) • U115 (Wolverhampton) • U116 (Wolverhampton) • U117 (Wolverhampton) • U118 (Wolverhampton) • U119 (Wolverhampton) • U120 (Wolverhampton) • U121 (Wolverhampton) • Western Orbital • Wolverhampton Outer Ring Road
Telford
NCN55 • A5 • A5(M) • A41 • A442 • A464 • A518 • A4169 • A4539 • A4640 • A5223 • A5223 (Wellington) • A5266 • A5523 • B4176 • B4373 • B4375 • B4376 • B4377 • B4378 • B4379 • B4380 • B4381 (Telford) • B4382 (Telford) • B4394 • B4543 • B4589 • B5060 (Oakengates) • B5060 (Priorslee - Muxton) • B5061 • B5061 (Wellington) • B5063 • B5072 • B5316 • B5406 • E34 (Old System) • Holyhead Road • NCN81 • T11 (Britain) • T50 (Britain) • Watling Street
Motorways in Great Britain
Current MotorwaysM1 • M2 • M3 • M4 • M5 • M6 • M6 Toll • M8 • M9 • M11 • M18 • M20 • M23 • M25 • M26 • M27 • M32 • M40 • M42 • M45 • M48 • M49 • M50 • M53 • M54 • M55 • M56 • M57 • M58 • M60 • M61 • M62 • M65 • M66 • M67 • M69 • M73 • M74 • M77 • M80 • M90 • M180 • M181 • M271 • M275 • M602 • M606 • M621 • M876 • M898
A1(M) • A3(M) • A8(M) • A14(M) • A38(M) • A48(M) • A57(M) • A58(M) • A64(M) • A66(M) • A74(M) • A92(M) • A167(M) • A168(M) • A194(M) • A195(M) • A308(M) • A329(M) • A404(M) • A601(M) • A627(M) • A635(M) • A666(M) • A823(M) • A1058(M) • A1077(M)
Motorway Spurs • (M4 Heathrow Spur • M25 T5 Spur • Walton Summit M'way)
Former MotorwaysM10 • M15 • M16 • M30 • M41 • M52 • M62 • M63 • M64 • M65 • M68 • M85 • M110 • M111 • M270 • M274 • M531 • M600
A2(M) • A4(M) • A5(M) • A8(M) • A11(M) • A18(M) • A20(M) • A21(M) • A23(M) • A36(M) • A40(M) (Central London) • A40(M) (Buckinghamshire) • A41(M) • A46(M) • A48(M) (Morriston) • A48(M) (Port Talbot) • A65(M) • A102(M) (North) • A102(M) (South) • A423(M) • A446(M) • A604(M) • A638(M) • A696(M) • A1231(M) • A6127(M) • A6138(M) • A6144(M)
Unbuilt MotorwaysM4 Toll • M12 (Woodford - Brentford) • M12 (Woodford - Maplin) • M12 (Brentwood - -Chelmsford) • M13 • M17 • M19 • M31 • M58 • M59 • M60 • M62 RR • M64 • M81 • M82 • M83 • M100 • M272 • M601 • M650
A2(M) • A6(M) (West) • A6(M) (East) • A14(M) • A48(M) • A59(M) • A61(M) • A556(M) • A695(M)
A Ring • Bilston Link • Belmont Link • B-W M'way • CME Bypass • CMW • Central Spine • Chippenham Spur • Coventry N-S M'way • Cublington Airport M'way • Denham Spur • Derby Urban M'way • Droitwich-Leicester M'way • East Coast M'way • EXR • East Kilbride M'way • E-W Underground M'way • Eastern M'way • Euroroute • Friars Goose Xing • Furness Link • Glasgow IRR • GM Western Relief Road • Hamilton-Cumbernauld M'way • Hook Road • Johnstone M'way • Kendal Link • Liverpool Inner M'way • LOX M'way • Malvern Radial • Manchester IRR • Morecambe Link • NE Urban M'way • NXR • N&W M'way • Paisley-Hamilton M'way • POLO • Princess P'way M'way • Reading Urban M'way • Ringway 2 • Sheffield Spur • S Bristol Spur • SCRPDR • SXR • Stirling Corner Link • Strensham-Solihill M'way • Strensham-Solihill M'way • TGAAR • Townhill Link • Trafford Park M'way • Warndon Radial • Watford Urban M'Way • Western Orbital • Weston Spur


SABRE - The Society for All British and Irish Road Enthusiasts
Discuss - Digest - Discover - Help