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A53

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A53
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (9)
From:  Buxton (SK063735)
To:  Battlefield, Shrewsbury (SJ516167)
Via:  Newcastle-under-Lyme
Distance:  55.1 miles (88.7 km)
Meets:  A6, A515, A5004, B5059, A54, A523, A520, B5051, A5009, A5272, B5050, A50, A5010, B5046, A500, B5369, A52, A527, A34, A519, A5182, A51, B5026, B5415, A529, A41, A442, B5063, A49, A5112, A5124
Former Number(s):  A6
Old route now:  A525, B5352, A5112, A5191
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

Derbyshire  • Shropshire  • Staffordshire  • Stoke-on-Trent

Traditional Counties

Derbyshire • Shropshire • Staffordshire

Route outline (key)
A53 Buxton – Leek
(A523) Leek
A53 Leek – Newcastle-under-Lyme
(A527) Newcastle-under-Lyme
(A34) Newcastle-under-Lyme
A53 Newcastle-under-Lyme – Blackbrook
(A51) Blackbrook
A53 Blackbrook – Shrewsbury
A53 Shrewsbury

The A53 runs from Buxton to Shrewsbury via Stoke-on-Trent. It consists of two sections of excellent rural single-carriageway road at either end, with a great contrast in scenery, sandwiching a dreary, congested, urban stretch running through the Potteries. It enjoys the rare distinction of being one of just sixteen F99 routes that maintain green-signed primary route status throughout their entire length. The others are the A12, A14, A16, A17, A22, A42, A43, A45, A55, A75, A78, A83, A84, A86, and A87.

Route

Buxton – Newcastle

It starts on the A6 in Buxton, already over 900 feet above sea level although at one of the lowest points in the town. It runs through the town centre, with a TOTSO at the junction with the A5004, which harks back to the days when the A53 branched off the A6 at this point. Climbing steadily, it runs out into open countryside. The A54 to Congleton and Chester forks off on the right. From here as far as Leek, the A53 follows an old Roman road. Continuing to climb, it runs along the side of the limestone ridge of Axe Edge, eventually reaching a height of over 1500 feet above sea level. It then crosses a bleak plateau in one of the highest parts of the Peak District. This stretch is often blocked by snow in the winter. In 2008 the speed limit was reduced from NSL to 50 mph along this stretch, while he speed limit rises again when the Staffordshire border is crossed.

Ramshaw

As it begins to descend again, it passes the spectacular outcrop of Ramshaw Rocks on the right. The area around here was once home to a colony of wallabies which escaped from a private collection in the 1930s and continued to breed for over fifty years, although now believed to be extinct. The A53 passes through some less harsh, more pastoral scenery and enters Leek, a busy market town which is one of the largest towns in Britain without a rail service. The town centre, which lacks any kind of bypass, is frequently congested as the A523 Manchester–Derby trunk road also passes through Leek. Indeed, the A523 is the dominant partner in a short multiplex.

The section from Leek to Stoke-on-Trent passes through several straggling villages such as Longsdon, Endon and Stockton Brook which straddles the city limits. The speed limit is mostly 30 with a large number of speed cameras. At Sneyd Green, the A5272 (formerly B5049) passes overhead on the Holden Bridge (built 1930 and replacing an earlier bridge), with ramps linking it to the A53. Passing through a very run-down part of the Potteries, it skirts Hanley, the "centre" of Stoke-on-Trent, to the north, over a GSJ with the A5010, crosses the A50 at a flat traffic light controlled junction and approaches the A500 "D-road" via half a mile of high-quality dual carriageway which originally had a 50 mph limit but was reduced at a stroke to 30 a couple of years ago. It was later put back up to 40, albeit with several Gatsos. There's a grade-separated junction with the A500, which has an underpass beneath the roundabout.

The A53 then climbs over a small ridge to reach the town centre of Newcastle-under-Lyme. Before reaching the ring road, there is a short one-way system. Outbound traffic (i.e. towards Leek) follows the A53 whereas inbound traffic is routed onto the A52. The A53 multiplexes with the A527 and A34 for a short distance around the ring road, although until the 1980s when it was pedestrianised the A53 went along the Ironmarket.

Newcastle – Shrewsbury

The original route of the A53 out of Newcastle was across Pool Dam and Seabridge Road until the current route was built in the late 1920s (with the old road becoming the A525 and B5352). The road now climbs out of the town centre through a cutting and emerges into the countryside for the first real time since before Leek just before crossing the M6. It does not have a junction with it; the A5182, which joins it from the east at a new roundabout, links it to junction 15 (Hanchurch) and is the more obvious route for through traffic, avoiding Newcastle.

Ternhill

The section on to Shrewsbury runs first through hilly, wooded country on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border, and then through the lush dairy country of North Shropshire. This section now has several tedious 30 limits through Baldwins Gate and Loggerheads. The attractive market town of Market Drayton, with many half-timbered buildings, is now bypassed, as is Hodnet, but it still passes through the village of Shawbury. The A53 seems to run counter to the grain of the landscape, crossing various other traffic routes: the A51 at Blackbrook (which it crosses at an unusually long uncontrolled staggered junction where the Swan with two Necks pub sits); the A529 just north of Market Drayton; the A41 at Ternhill; the A442 on the Hodnet bypass;, and the main West Coast rail line at Baldwins Gate. The pub at Baldwins Gate, the Sheet Anchor, once backed on to one of Davenports' Beer at Home distribution depots (anyone remember those TV ads from the early 70s?)

The A53 comes to an end where it joins the A49 at Battlefield Roundabout, about three miles north of Shrewsbury. The A49 Shrewsbury Bypass – a very wide and straight single-carriageway road – heads off to the left, with the A5112 continuing straight on into the town centre. This road was the A49 until the bypass was built – but until the 1940s it was the A53 itself; our road's original western end was on the A49 by the station.

History

A53 historic route from 1922/3 numbering

Opening Dates

Year Section Notes
1925 Newcastle-under-Lyme: Priory Road The first reference found in the Staffordshire Sentinel was a mention on 4 May 1925. It may have opened earlier, although it was not shown on the 1926-27 OS MOT map. Chaney's Farm and Hill Farm were purchased in the previous year and there is mention of the construction of a new road to develop the area in the 11 November 1924 paper.
1927 Longdon: Corkscrew Bank Diversion Bryan's May to Nether Stanlow, west of Longdon. The 0.27 mile road was reported as "recently completed" by the Staffordshire Advertiser of 30 July 1927. The 1 in 25 gradient was an improvement on the 1 in 7 and sharp bend on the old road. 45 - 50 foot wide with 24 foot carriageway and 6 foot footpath. Cost £10,000.
1958 Upper Hulme Diversion Authorised in April 1956, estimated cost £40,479. Work was ongoing with the bridge widening in August 1957. It may have opened in 1957. Not shown on 1957 OS One inch map.
1964 Shawbury Heath Diversion The 1.3 mile road to the south of Shawbury was first shown on 1965 OS Route Planning map (would have been revised 1964). It may have opened earlier. Authorised in July 1961 at a cost of £51.000, met by the Air Ministry due to the extension of the runways at R.A.F. Shawbury.
1974 Market Drayton Bypass The 3.5 mile road from Shrewsbury Road to Newcastle Road was opened on 2 May 1974 by R. Fletcher, former County Council Roads and Bridges Chairman. 7.3 m wide. Contractor was Percy Bilton Ltd., cost £750,000.
1987 Buxton: Spring Gardens Relief Road Station Road and Bridge Street. Opened on 10 September 1987 per the Land Compensation Act notice. Contractor was Buckton Contractors Ltd. of Oldham. The original plan before the public inquiry in 1972 was for a dual carriageway. Opened as A5002 and later renumbered as A53.
2003 Hodnet and Wollerton Bypass The 4 mile single carriageway road was opened on 10 September 2003 by Councillor Major Adrian Coles. Contractor was Alfred McAlpine, cost £14 million.




A53
Junctions
Roads
Places
Miscellaneous
Related Pictures
View gallery (9)
Station Road, Buxton - Geograph - 1686251.jpgDerbyshire or Cheshire? - Geograph - 1686209.jpgSaint Johns Road, Buxton - Geograph - 1687140.jpgBiker paradise - Flickr - 10158752166.jpgEndon Fountain (2) (C) Richard Vince - Geograph - 3672255.jpg
Other nearby roads
Buxton
A6 • A54 • A515 • A537 • A624 • A5002 (Derbyshire) • A5004 • A5270 • B5053 • B5059 • T12 (Britain)
Leek
A520 • A523 • B5058 • B5331 • T55 (Britain)
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Shrewsbury
A1-A99
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A20 • A21 • A22 • A23 • A24 • A25 • A26 • A27 • A28 • A29 • A30 • A31 • A32 • A33 • A34 • A35 • A36 • A37 • A38 • A39
A40 • A41 • A42 • A43 • A44 • A45 • A46 • A47 • A48 • A49 • A50 • A51 • A52 • A53 • A54 • A55 • A56 • A57 • A58 • A59
A60 • A61 • A62 • A63 • A64 • A65 • A66 • A67 • A68 • A69 • A70 • A71 • A72 • A73 • A74 • A75 • A76 • A77 • A78 • A79
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Motorway sectionsA1(M): (South Mimms - Baldock • Alconbury - Peterborough • Doncaster Bypass • Darrington - Birtley)
A3(M) • A8(M) Baillieston spur • A38(M) • A48(M) Cardiff spur • A57(M) • A58(M) • A64(M) • A66(M) • A74(M) • A92(M)
DefunctA1(M) Newcastle CME • A2(M) Medway Towns Bypass • A4(M) • A5(M) • A8(M) Renfrew bypass • A14 • A14(M) • A18(M) • A20(M) • A36(M)
A40(M): (Westway • Denham -Stokenchurch) • A41(M) • A42 • A46(M) • A48(M): (Port Talbot bypass • Morriston bypass) • A62(M) • A88 • A99
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