Princes Square

Princes Square in the 1920s

Modern view of the southern half of Princes Square

Formerly the location of the junction between A460, A454, A4124 and B4158, Princes Square (often mis-spelt as Princess Square) in Wolverhampton is today an unremarkable junction in the city centre.

In historic terms, it is extremely important as on 5 November 1927, the first automatic traffic lights in the United Kingdom were installed in this location. The lights were originally installed as a temporary experiment, though they were installed as a permanent feature in October 1928.

To commemorate this, the modern traffic lights in the location have dispensation from the Department for Transport to have the old-fashioned striped poles rather than the modern grey ones.

Princes Square is also historically important due to being the site of the first installation of pedestrian safety barriers, which were here erected in July 1934.

Usually, only the light-controlled junction is referred to by the name, but Princes Square actually refers to both that junction, and the roundabout junction with Broad Street and Wulfruna Street just to the north, as well as the short length of connecting street. Whilst not looking much like a "square", the Royal London building on the west side of the square is a later addition to the original layout. The former western side of the square is actually what is now Lichfield Passage, making the entire junction complex much more recognisably a "square".

Routes

Route	To	Notes
A454	Bridgnorth
A454	Walsall
A459	Cannock, Stafford
A459	Dudley
A460	Cannock, Stafford
A459	Dudley
B4158	Dudley
A4124	Brownhills, Wednesfield
B4155	Brownhills, Wednesfield	Upgraded to A4124 in 1927

Links

• Steelway safety barriers history - includes photographs of Princes Square
• Wolverhampton City Council traffic control and signals
• Image of Wolverhampton Civic Society plaque
• Image of Princes Square c1935 showing pedestrian barriers