A520

The A520 originally began on the A519 in Eccleshall before running to Leek via Stone, but today the first section forms part of an extended B5026.

Route

Stone - Leek

Radford Street, Stone

Today's road begins on the A34 Stone bypass, and then crosses over the river Trent and the Trent & Mersey Canal, before reaching the town centre one-way system. Northbound traffic is directed onto back streets whereas southbound traffic follows a purpose-built relief road opened in 1994 (which allowed the High Street to be pedestrianised). Once through the town the road crosses the railway line and climbs away through a narrow valley.

The road name at this point is Longton Road, although the A520 does not reach Longton. The A5005 does, however, and this is reached soon afterwards at a mini-roundabout in the bizarrely named Rough Close, where the A520 appears to bear right. The road climbs a short distance to the City of Stoke boundary. Interestingly, Stoke-on-Trent is not a primary destination on the A520, probably because only a corner of the city is crossed.

From the city limit, the A520 descends to the A50, which burrows beneath courtesy of the Meir Tunnel. From here the road climbs again, up out of the city limits and to Cellarhead, where it crosses the A52 at a busy set of traffic lights. The A522 comes in from the right, enabling traffic to cut off the north-east corner, at the next village, Wetley Rocks. The A520 continues onward through Cheddleton, where it crosses the Caldon Canal and River Churnet in quick succession, before going over the Churnet Valley Railway, and ending up in Leek town centre. It crosses the A53 at a set of traffic lights (where the roads are narrow, so traffic is advised not to turn right) before going up St Edward Street and ending on the A523 Church Street adjacent to St Edward's Church, as may be expected.

Original Author(s): Lez Watson