A5
A5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From: | London (TQ278809) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To: | Holyhead (SH248241) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Via: | Milton Keynes, Tamworth, Cannock, Telford, Shrewsbury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance: | 252 miles (405.5 km) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Meets: | M1, M69, M42, M6, M54, A40, A41, A43, A55 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former Number(s): | A5122 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Old route now: | A5183, B5404, B5061, B4380, A5064, A458, B5009, B5070 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Primary Destinations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Milton Keynes • Bangor (Caernarfonshire) • Llangollen • Telford • Brownhills • Cannock • Dunstable • St Albans • Central London • London • Holyhead • Tamworth • Betws-y-Coed • Oswestry • Shrewsbury • Rugby • Hinckley • Kilburn • Brent Cross • West End | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highway Authorities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
National Highways • Transport for London • Welsh Government • Barnet • Brent • Gwynedd • Isle of Anglesey • Staffordshire • Telford and Wrekin • Westminster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
North & Mid Wales TRA | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Counties | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Anglesey • Bedfordshire • Buckinghamshire • Caernarfonshire • Denbighshire • Hertfordshire • Leicestershire • Merionethshire • Middlesex • Northamptonshire • Shropshire • Staffordshire • Warwickshire | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route outline (key) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Route
The A5 couldn't have a more varied route, starting out in the centre of London, cutting its way across the centre of the country before starting a winding route through the mountainous areas of North Wales and then crossing onto Anglesey to terminate at Holyhead. Despite more recent routes competing for the same route, such as the M1, M6 and A55, it still remains an important route connecting London with the Midlands, and as a scenic major road across North Wales.
See Route Segments: Central London - Brockley • Dunstable - Stony Stratford • Stony Stratford - Crick • Crick - Tamworth • Tamworth - Gailey • Gailey - Telford • Telford - Chirk • Chirk - Betws-y-Coed • Betws-y-Coed - Bangor • Bangor - Holyhead
History
The A5 has a long and interesting history, largely following the Roman Watling Street, and later in the 1800s improved by Thomas Telford.
The Roman route ran from Marble Arch to Wroxeter. Telford's road was constructed in the 1820s after the Port of Holyhead was chosen as the principal ferry port to Dublin and the rest of Ireland. Until roads were classified in 1923, traffic took Telford's route via Coventry, Birmingham and Wolverhampton, while the old Watling Street was revived as a major road bypassing these settlements.
In more recent history, several bypasses and realignments have been added to the route.
Notable locations and improvements
Glyn Bends, Ty Nant
The Glyn Bends were located on the A5 near Ty Nant in North Wales. In 1994 work started to bypass this section of the A5 with a new cutting to the North, which opened in 1996.
Menai Bridge
The Menai suspension bridge was built by Thomas Telford to carry his Holyhead Road across the Menai Straits. Its chains are made from wrought iron which supported a wooden deck.
Opening dates
Month | Year | Section | Notes |
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May | 2017 | Dunstable Northern Bypass | Dual carriageway bypass and link to M1 J11A Chalton |
2005 | Weeford – Fazeley | Dual carriageway bypass | |
March | 2003 | Nesscliffe Bypass | 2.9 mile dual carriageway. Opened on 21 March 2003 by John Spellar, Transport Minister. |
2002 | M6 Toll | New Junction at Churchbridge, Wall & Weeford | |
2002 | M6 Toll | New bridge and roundabout (New Town, Staffordshire) | |
1996 | Ty Nant Cutting | Short bypass of the Glyn Bends | |
July | 1995 | Fazeley, Two Gates and Wilnecote Bypass | Dual carriageway bypass. 4.75 miles. Opened on 10 July 1995 by David Lightbrown, MP for East Staffordshire (per the 24 August 1995 Birmingham Evening Mail). Contractor was Alfred McAlpine Ltd., cost £26 million. |
December | 1992 | Little Brickhill Bypass | Dual carriageway. Official opening on 15 December 1992. Tender cost £5.838 million, total cost £8.773 million. |
August | 1992 | Shrewsbury 2nd Bypass and M54 Link | Dual carriageway except for A458 to Montford Bridge. Official opening was on 11 August 1992. Contractors were Edmund Nuthall for Emstrey to Montford Bridge and Alfred McAlpine for the bypass section from Emstrey to Battlefield and link from Preston Island to M54 J7. Tender costs were £63.96 million including the A49 Bypass to Battlefield. |
April | 1991 | Chirk Bypass | Single carriageway. Opened April 1991 per Hansard, cost £12 million. The section opened was south of Halton Roundabout since the spur had opened with the Newbridge Bypass on 8 June 1990. It included the 450m long and 26m high Ceirog Viaduct. Contractor Christiani and Neilson. |
June | 1990 | Chirk Bypass Spur | Single carriageway. Opened as part of A483 Newbridge Bypass on 8 June 1990 by Wyn Roberts, Minister of State for Wales. The spur was between Halton Roundabout and Whitehurst Roundabout (this was prior to the Chirk Bypass opening in April 1991). |
December | 1986 | Oswestry and Gobowen Bypass | Single carriageway. Opened 22 December 1986, 6 months ahead of schedule. Actually routed the A5 nearer to Oswestry to join A483. |
1983 | Bangor Bypass | Now classified as A55 | |
October | 1980 | Milton Keynes Bypass | The 9.6 mile D2 dual carriageway from Old Stratford Roundabout to Kelly's Kitchen Roundabout (south of Bletchley) was completed in October 1980 per the Policy for Roads in England: 1981 Report. Outturn works cost £23.7 million. |
1971 | Britannia Bridge | Capel-Y-Graig - Llanfair, later renumbered as A55 in 2000. | |
March | 1966 | Wall Bypass | Opened as single carriageway road. The second carriageway to make the dual carriageway was opened 27 June 1967. |
December | 1963 | Atherstone Bypass | Dual carriageway. The 2 mile road was opened on 16 December 1963 by Ald. Sir William Dugdale. The contractor was A. Monk and Co. and cost £600,000. Carriageways were 24 foot wide and there were 8 bridges. |
May | 1957 | Markyate Bypass | Single carriageway. The 1.25 mile road was officially opened on 12 June 1957 by Viscountess Davidson, M.P. for Hemel Hempstead. It had been in use since late May 1957. Cost £250,000. 10,000 vehicles per day were diverted from the village. |
1956 | Loughton Bypass | Single carriageway. The 0.6 mile road was completed in the year to 31 March 1957 per the 1956-57 Roads in England and Wales Report, and before the first accident on 11 June 1956. 30 foot carriageway with bridge over Shenley Road and slip roads on south-western side. Not shown on OS one inch maps until the 1968 edition. Later renumbered as V4 (Milton Keynes) with the new slip roads removed. | |
May | 1933 | Shrewsbury Bypass | Single carriageway. The 3 mile original bypass was opened on 23 May 1933 by the Princess Royal at a ceremony at the Shelton end. It was 60 foot wide with a 30 foot carriageway and cost £130,000. It employed 100 men for 2 years. |
1932 | St George's Bypass, Oakengates | Single carriageway. An unemployment relief scheme. | |
April | 1926 | Gobowen Bypass | Single carriageway. The 0.5 mile original bypass which bypassed Gobowen Crossroads was opened on 13 April 1926. The first bypass in Shropshire. |
1826 | Menai Bridge | Built by Thomas Telford | |
1815 | Waterloo Bridge, Betws-y-Coed | Built by Thomas Telford |
External links
legislation.gov.uk
National Highways
- A5-M1 Link (Dunstable Northern Bypass) - Planned Dual Carriageway
- M6 Jct 11A - 19 Improvement - Possible Junction Improvement
- A5 Emstrey Roundabout - Traffic Signals - Current Junction Improvement
- A5 Nesscliffe Bypass - Completed Dual Carriageway
- A5 Weeford to Fazeley Improvement - Completed Dual Carriageway
- A5 Route Management Strategy (Dunstable M1 J9 to M1 J18) - Completed Route Management Study
- M1 to Birmingham Route Management Strategy (Includes A5 Weeford to M1 J18 - Completed Route Management Study
- A5/M54/A449/A5 (Shrewsbury to M6) - Completed Route Management Study
- A5/A483/A458 Shrewsbury to Chester to Welshpool - Completed Route Management Study
Pathetic Motorways