A5072
A5072 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Blackpool Road (SD514305) | |||
To: | Fishergate Hill (SD527289) | |||
Distance: | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | |||
Meets: | A5085, A583, A59, A59 | |||
Former Number(s): | A583 | |||
Highway Authorities | ||||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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For quite a major route, Preston's A5072 is, in signposted terms, a "secret primary route"!!
Running from Blackpool Road at St Andrew's School in leafy suburbs the road drops down a hill along the original route of the A583 to Watery Lane, a very important junction in Preston's past as this was once the main entrance to the docks. From here the road picks up primary status (although some maps claim it isn't) at the original start of the A5072 at Strand Road. The route passes Alstom engineering on our right and the former English Electric works on the left (now housing and retail parks).
The A59 Penwortham by-pass bridge goes overhead soon afterwards, and traffic can turn towards Liverpool or Penwortham on the slip road should it wish using the bodged slip that Lancashire County Council allegedly "forgot to build" when opening the road!
The route passes the dock park and ride on both sides and then the Ribble Steam Railway appears on the right; this is crossed shortly at a level crossing. Shortly afterwards a set of traffic lights is reached on the original A59 and the A5072 ends here. A spur of the A59 now turns right across Liverpool Road bridge to reach the A59 mainline and the A582.