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Gailey Island

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Gailey Island
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (4)
Location
Gailey
County
Staffordshire
Highway Authority
National Highways
Junction Type
Roundabout
Roads Joined
A5, A449
This article is about the junction between A5 and A449 to the north of Wolverhampton.
For the often confused junction between A5 and M6 to the east, see Gailey Interchange
.
A449 immediately to the north of the junction

Gailey Island is a small roundabout at the junction of the A5 and A449 in the hamlet of Gailey to the north of Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. It is often confused with Gailey Interchange, which is the junction with the M6 a mile to the east.

It is the point where the Trunk Road north from Wolverhampton moves from the A449 towards the city to the A5 towards the M6.

History

The junction was originally a crossroads. The roundabout was built in the 1950s when the A449 was dualled. The junction has remained the same ever since.

M54 Proposals

The early 1970s saw plans for a motorway, M54, running between the M6 and the new town of Telford. Three routes were shortlisted and the northernmost of these routes would have ran parallel to the A5. This had the potential to alter Gailey Island. At the time it was planned to be built to D3M standard. There would be a lane drop at Gailey to allow the remaining two lanes to continue to the M6 merge. This is common to all the layouts shown here.

Initial suggestion from the feasibility study

A feasibility study was produced in 1970 which suggested a layout where the M54 would split at Gailey with one part heading towards Gailey Interchange for M6 north traffic and the other part freeflowing onto the M6 south immediately to the south of Gailey interchange. Two layouts were produced - the one shown here and another where the split would be to the east of Gailey and C/D lanes would be provided to remove weaving between the two Gailey junctions. The layout shown here would have resulted in most of the buildings surrounding the roundabout being demolished. The existing roundabout is located near the top of the enlarged roundabout. Both these layouts would be complex and as we will soon see the more serious proposals a few years later would simplify the design.

The junction as a crossroads in 1946
Later proposal for a simplified junction

Fast forward to around 1973 and now the designs are looking more realistic. Gone is the freeflow connection between the M54 and A5 towards Gailey Interchange, this traffic has to make do with using the roundabout and existing A5. This layout omits the eastbound entry slip so traffic from the roundabout wanting the M6 south has to use the A5.

Alternative with a separate roundabout

An alternative design has the M54 running slightly further south. This means the existing roundabout remains intact and a much larger roundabout is added to the south. No east facing slips are provided for reasons unknown. Again, M54 traffic wanting the M6 north has to leave and use the A5 to Gailey Interchange.

Despite the work involved in designing these junctions the original 1970 study recommended the M54 southern route should be adopted and Telford Development Corporation also preferred the southern route so it's unlikely a motorway was ever going to be built at Gailey Island.

Routes

Route To Notes

A5

Cannock, M6 (M5)

A449

Stafford, Penkridge, Rodbaston Visitor Centre

A449

Telford (M54), Wolverhampton

A5

Telford, Weston Park





Gailey Island
Related Pictures
View gallery (4)
Gailey Island with M54.pngGailey Island with M54 Northern Route 1.pngGailey Island with M54 Northern Route 2.pngThe A449 heading past Dobbie's Garden Centre at Gailey - Geograph - 1435325.jpg
Other nearby junctions
Wolverhampton
Anson Junction • Battlefield Roundabout (Wolverhampton) • Bentley Bridge Island • Bentley Interchange • Bentley Junction • Bilston Street Island • Bowmans Harbour Island • Broad Street Junction • Bull Ring (Sedgley) • Bull Ring (Willenhall) • Bull Stake • Bushbury Island • Chapel Ash Island • Coseley Road Island • Coven Heath Interchange • Coven Roundabouts • Elephant and Castle (Wolverhampton) • Essington Interchange • Featherstone Interchange • Fighting Cocks • Five Ways (Dunstall Park, Wolverhampton) • Five Ways (Merry Hill, Wolverhampton) • Five Ways (Wolverhampton City Centre) • Five Ways (Wolverhampton) • Fordhouses Roundabout • Four Ashes Junction • Fox Crossroads • Gailey Interchange • Goodyear Island • Horseley Fields Junction • Keyway Junction • Laney Green Interchange • Leicester Square (Wolverhampton) • Lloyd Hill Roundabout • Merrills Hall Island • Midland Counties Dairy • Moxley Junction • Neachells Lane Island • New Cross Junction • New Invention Island • Oxford Street Island • Penn Road Island • Pickmere Roundabout • Portobello Island • Princes Square • Queen Square (Wolverhampton) • Saredon Interchange • Short Heath Interchange • Snow Hill Junction (Wolverhampton) • Spring Vale Island • St Peters Square • Stafford Place • Stafford Street Junction • Standeford Crossroads • The Dale • The Lunt Junction • Scotlands Island • Three Tuns Junction • Tong Interchange • Victoria Square • Vine Island Junction • Vulcan Road Island • Waterloo Road Junction • Western Way Interchange • Wood End Island
Junctions on the A5
London - CrickMarble Arch • Marylebone Flyover • Staples Corner • Canons Corner • Brockley • Elstree Crossroads • Park Street • King Harry • Peahen Crossroads • Friars Wash • Dunstable Crossroads • Chalk Hill Rdbt • M1 Junction 11A • Thorn Rdbt • Hockliffe Crossroads • Sheeps Lane Rdbt • Little Brickhill • Caldecotte • Redmoor • Portway • Abbey Hill • Old Stratford Rdbt • Tove Rdbt • Weedon Crossroads • Watford Crossroads • Kilsby • Halfway House Rdbt • DIRFT Rugby North Rdbt
Crick - TamworthCrick • DIRFT Rugby East Rdbt • DIRFT Rugby North Rdbt • Gibbet Rdbt • Cross in Hand • High Cross • Smockington Hollow • Stretton Baskerville • Sketchley Rdbt • Dodwells Rdbt • Longshoot • Higham Rdbt • Red Gate • Mancetter Rdbt • Holly Lane Rdbt • Grendon Rdbt • Dordon Rdbt • M42 Junction 10
Tamworth-TelfordM42 Junction 10 • Centurion • Glascote • Ventura Park • Mile Oak • Weeford • Wall Island • Muckley Corner • Rising Sun • The Turf • Churchbridge • Wynn's Corner • Longford Island • Gailey Interchange • Gailey Island • Pickmere Roundabout • Limekiln Bank Rdbt • Priorslee Rdbt • Priorslee Interchange • Hollinswood
Telford-OswestryHollinswood • Forge • Cluddley • Preston Island • Emstrey Island • Bayston Hill Rdbt • Edgebold Rdbt • Woodcote Rdbt • Churncote Rdbt • Felton Butler Rdbt • Wolfshead Rdbt • Queens Head Junction
Oswestry-HolyheadQueens Head Junction • Mile End Rdbt • Whittington Rdbt • Five Crosses • Gledrid Rdbt • Halton Rdbt • Whitehurst Rdbt • Llys y Gwynt • Antelope Rdbt • Anglesey Arms • Carreg Bran • Glan Menai • Nant Turnpike • Dalar Hir • Caergeiliog
Junctions on the A449
Coldra • Abernant • Usk • Raglan • Wilton Roundabout • Over Ross Roundabout • Travellers Rest • Preston Cross Roundabout • Powick Roundabout • Warndon • Wodehouse Roundabout • Lloyd Hill Roundabout • Midland Counties Dairy • Penn Road Island • Waterloo Road Junction • Stafford Street Junction • Elephant & Castle • Five Ways • Goodyear Island • Three Tuns • Vine Island • Fordhouses Roundabout • Coven Heath • Coven Roundabouts • Standeford Crossroads • Four Ashes Junction • Gailey Island • Dunston
Junctions on the M54
As builtM6 (10A) Essington  • 1 Featherstone  • 2 Coven Heath (Fordhouses Roundabout) • 3 Tong  • 4 Castle Farm  • 5 Priorslee  • 5 Forge  • 6 Ketley Dingle  • 7 Cluddley
Northern routeM6 (J11) Laney Green • Gailey • Pickmere • Crackleybank


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