Junction of the A4536 with the A38 at Fernhill Heath
The A4536 is a short route linking the A449 spur to the A38 to the north of Worcester. Historically it amounts to an upgrading of the last half mile of the post-war B4550 from central Worcester, which today terminates immediately south of the A449 junction.
However it had a slightly grander existence in past times. Road atlases (e.g. Esso/Shell) of the early 1970s show the entire route to/from the city centre numbered A4536, though when this upgrading occurred is not clear. Later in the decade, by 1977 at the latest this had been modified to a loop road past the industrial and retail estates to the roundabout at Blackpole, then turning west and running all the length of Bilford Road to meet up with the A38 again. Currently, from the A449 as far as the Blackpole roundabout is B4550, then the part of Bilford Road under the railway bridge is unclassified, then from the junction with Astwood Road is B4482. It may just be coincidence, but this is the section within the Worcester city boundary, with the Wychavon section retaining its A classification. This downgrading was in place by 2000 at the latest from (AA) atlas evidence.
