Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

User avatar
Peter350
Member
Posts: 803
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2018 20:20
Location: Southampton

Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by Peter350 »

It’s a big question that doesn’t seem to have been asked on here before, but what is the largest settlement without any form of bypass, throughpass or relief road? By that, I mean no purpose-built or physically upgraded road for the purpose of taking traffic away from an existing road anywhere within the settlement.

Doing some research on my home county of Dorset, I was amazed to find that the town of Sherborne (pop. 9,523) qualifies. Even though the A30 and A352 avoid the town centre, the routes they use are not considered bypasses. I had initially thought that Horsecastles Lane might have been an upgraded relief road, but from looking at SABRE maps it seems that the A352 (and A355 before that) has always gone that way rather than through the town centre.

Are there any larger settlements with no bypasses, throughpasses or relief roads?
Last edited by Peter350 on Fri Jun 04, 2021 23:40, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
SBRoxMan
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2021 15:20

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by SBRoxMan »

Salisbury doesn't really have a bypass, but I guess the A36 may count as a throughpass

I don't think Hereford has any true bypass or throughpass. All the major roads meet right in the centre
User avatar
Peter350
Member
Posts: 803
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2018 20:20
Location: Southampton

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by Peter350 »

SBRoxMan wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 23:28 Salisbury doesn't really have a bypass, but I guess the A36 may count as a throughpass

I don't think Hereford has any true bypass or throughpass. All the major roads meet right in the centre
Hereford has a throughpass of the town centre on the A49 and A438 so doesn’t qualify for this thread. Neither does Salisbury for that matter.
User avatar
SBRoxMan
Member
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2021 15:20

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by SBRoxMan »

Peter350 wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 23:35
SBRoxMan wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 23:28 Salisbury doesn't really have a bypass, but I guess the A36 may count as a throughpass

I don't think Hereford has any true bypass or throughpass. All the major roads meet right in the centre
Hereford has a throughpass of the town centre on the A49 and A438 so doesn’t qualify for this thread. Neither does Salisbury for that matter.
Another example I can think of is Cowes on the Isle of Wight. No bypass, no established throughpass, not even a main through route to the centre. It also has a population of about 10,400 people
User avatar
M4 Cardiff
Member
Posts: 2401
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 15:12
Location: Leamington Spa

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by M4 Cardiff »

Henley-on-Thames, pop 11K on A4130 and A4155
Haslemere, pop 13K on A286/A287 - The A3 does not count as a bypass as it was always a separate route
I would guess that the 'rules' would have to discount towns at the end of the road (I was going to call them 'dead-end' towns but some people may think that's just a cheap insult), or Clacton and Barrow-in-Furness, pop both 56K would win pretty easily.
Driving thrombosis caused this accident......a clot behind the wheel.
User avatar
JammyDodge
Member
Posts: 485
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2018 13:17

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by JammyDodge »

I'm going to put forward Crowborough, East Sussex. Roughly 25000 people and it has the A26 running straight through along the same route for at least 80 years, if not longer.
Designing Tomorrow, Around the Past
WHBM
Member
Posts: 9707
Joined: Thu Nov 30, 2006 18:01
Location: London

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by WHBM »

Portsmouth
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by KeithW »

Hereford population 60,000 doesnt have a bypass There were plans for one in 2018 which have subequently been dropped

The Hastings Bexhill Link Road has been sold as bypass but is really just there to promote development. The same is true of the Boston Distributor Road.
User avatar
KeithW
Member
Posts: 19205
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2014 13:25
Location: Marton-In-Cleveland North Yorks

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by KeithW »

WHBM wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 01:44Portsmouth
The A27/M27/M275 looks remarkably like a bypass and distributor road system to me. Not complete to be sure but better than what existed before they were built.
DavidBrown
Member
Posts: 8398
Joined: Sun May 29, 2005 00:35

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by DavidBrown »

If we're also saying that town centre relief roads are out of the question, I think your best be would be to look at coastal towns which are a destination with very little, if any, through traffic. Local to me, Ilfracombe has a population of over 11,000, but what I think has to be very close to being a winner is Scarborough - population over 60,000 and, other than a couple of routes widened in the centre, no bypass or relief road of any kind.
User avatar
trickstat
Member
Posts: 8738
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 14:06
Location: Letchworth Gdn City, Herts

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by trickstat »

Letchworth has a population of 33,600 and has no specific bypass or relief road. Being a planned Garden City begun in the early 20th Century has probably reduced the chances of it needing any and it has relatively little through traffic. The A1(M) and, to a lesser extent, the A507, take away a lot of traffic that might otherwise pass through it. The A1(M) cannot be considered as a de facto bypass as the A1/Great North Road never went through the town anyway. The Baldock bypass has resulted in the A505 being re-directed through the town along a different alignment.
Last edited by trickstat on Sat Jun 05, 2021 11:11, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
JammyDodge
Member
Posts: 485
Joined: Sat Oct 13, 2018 13:17

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by JammyDodge »

WHBM wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 01:44Portsmouth
Portsmouth has an inner ring road (A3/A2030), which would rule it out as much of it was built from scratch

Then, as has been mentioned, you also have the M27/A27/M275 as bypasses and distributors
Designing Tomorrow, Around the Past
User avatar
JackieRoads
Member
Posts: 489
Joined: Sat Jan 25, 2020 14:49

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by JackieRoads »

I will put toward:

- Weston Super Mare

- Wells - classified as a city

- Bath
Fantasy Strip Map Creator- feel free to send me some requests!

As a wise roadie said, don't make any mistakes in building roads.
User avatar
Peter350
Member
Posts: 803
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2018 20:20
Location: Southampton

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by Peter350 »

KeithW wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 06:50
WHBM wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 01:44Portsmouth
The A27/M27/M275 looks remarkably like a bypass and distributor road system to me. Not complete to be sure but better than what existed before they were built.
Strictly speaking, the A27 is a bypass of Cosham, not Portsmouth as the road never went through the city. Even so, it enters the city’s administrative boundary while the central area has numerous purpose-built relief roads such as Marketway and Winston Churchill Avenue.
Last edited by Peter350 on Sat Jun 05, 2021 10:23, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
trickstat
Member
Posts: 8738
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 14:06
Location: Letchworth Gdn City, Herts

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by trickstat »

JackieRoads wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 10:05 I will put toward:

- Weston Super Mare

- Wells - classified as a city

- Bath
For Bath, I think the dualling of the A36 on the other side of the Avon from the city centre could constitute a relief road.
User avatar
Peter350
Member
Posts: 803
Joined: Thu Jan 25, 2018 20:20
Location: Southampton

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by Peter350 »

JackieRoads wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 10:05 I will put toward:

- Weston Super Mare
The main road into the town is a relief road (Herulin Way)
- Wells - classified as a city
Also has a relief road (Strawberry Way and Portway)
- Bath
The Batheaston bypass enters the city boundary
User avatar
M4Simon
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 10121
Joined: Sun Mar 17, 2002 22:35
Location: WGC, Herts
Contact:

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by M4Simon »

trickstat wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 07:50 Letchworth has a population of 33,600 and has no specific bypass or relief road. Being a planned Garden City begun in the early 20th Century has probably reduced the chances of it needing any and it has relatively little few traffic. The A1(M) and, to a lesser extent, the A507, take away a lot of traffic that might otherwise pass through it. The A1(M) cannot be considered as a de facto bypass as the A1/Great North Road never went through the town anyway. The Baldock bypass has resulted in the A505 being re-directed through the town along a different alignment.
The same would apply to Welwyn Garden City - population of 51,000 (current estimate). It was built to the east of the A1 (more recently the A1(M)), south of the B1000 and north of the A414. The distributor road network in the town is largely single carriageway and nearly every part of it is on its original alignment. Compared with other local towns (Hertford, St Albans (yes I know it is a city not a town)), it has very few traffic problems. It is, in some senses, bypassed by the A414 and the A1(M), but the current roads are strategic routes and are built more or less on the original alignment. The town itself has neither a dedicated bypass nor any kind of through pass or inner relief road.

Simon
Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Try getting involved!

Please contact me if you want to know more
User avatar
trickstat
Member
Posts: 8738
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 14:06
Location: Letchworth Gdn City, Herts

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by trickstat »

M4 Cardiff wrote: Fri Jun 04, 2021 23:54 Henley-on-Thames, pop 11K on A4130 and A4155
Haslemere, pop 13K on A286/A287 - The A3 does not count as a bypass as it was always a separate route
I would guess that the 'rules' would have to discount towns at the end of the road (I was going to call them 'dead-end' towns but some people may think that's just a cheap insult), or Clacton and Barrow-in-Furness, pop both 56K would win pretty easily.
I suspect there is very limited demand for journeys between Jaywick and Frinton so Clacton is unlikely to need a bypass! I don't think that Barrow is strictly the end of the road but the Isle of Walney is sparsely populated.
SteveA30
Member
Posts: 6018
Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 12:52
Location: Dorset

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by SteveA30 »

Ilkley A65, also Gargrave and Hellifield.
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
User avatar
trickstat
Member
Posts: 8738
Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 14:06
Location: Letchworth Gdn City, Herts

Re: Largest settlement without any sort of bypass or relief road

Post by trickstat »

M4Simon wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 10:24
trickstat wrote: Sat Jun 05, 2021 07:50 Letchworth has a population of 33,600 and has no specific bypass or relief road. Being a planned Garden City begun in the early 20th Century has probably reduced the chances of it needing any and it has relatively little through traffic. The A1(M) and, to a lesser extent, the A507, take away a lot of traffic that might otherwise pass through it. The A1(M) cannot be considered as a de facto bypass as the A1/Great North Road never went through the town anyway. The Baldock bypass has resulted in the A505 being re-directed through the town along a different alignment.
The same would apply to Welwyn Garden City - population of 51,000 (current estimate). It was built to the east of the A1 (more recently the A1(M)), south of the B1000 and north of the A414. The distributor road network in the town is largely single carriageway and nearly every part of it is on its original alignment. Compared with other local towns (Hertford, St Albans (yes I know it is a city not a town)), it has very few traffic problems. It is, in some senses, bypassed by the A414 and the A1(M), but the current roads are strategic routes and are built more or less on the original alignment. The town itself has neither a dedicated bypass nor any kind of through pass or inner relief road.

Simon
It is interesting that the 2 Garden Cities have had no notable changes while the 2 larger post-WWII New Towns in Herts, Hemel Hampstead and Stevenage, have. Hemel had the A41 bypass to the west of the town open about 30 years ago, while Stevenage had the relief road for the Old Town High Street open over 40 years ago. I assume the Stevenage Bypass section of the A1(M) was in the original plan for the New Town.

The only places in Welwyn GC I have ever really encountered congestion are by Stanborough Lakes and the Police HQ near J4 of the A1(M) and near Digswell close to J6. Both the Garden Cities have roads through their industrial areas that are quite useful for through journeys avoiding the town centres.
Last edited by trickstat on Sat Jun 05, 2021 12:51, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply