Shropshire
Shropshire | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
| |||
Primary Destinations | |||
Bridgnorth • Oswestry • Shrewsbury • Telford • Whitchurch | |||
Other Important Destinations | |||
Ludlow • Wellington | |||
Current Highway Authorities | |||
Shropshire County Council • Telford and Wrekin Council | |||
Borders | |||
Cheshire • Denbighshire • Flintshire • Herefordshire • Montgomeryshire • Radnorshire • Staffordshire • Worcestershire | |||
National Highways Roads | |||
M54 • A5 • A49 • A458 • A483 | |||
Shropshire is a traditional county in the Midlands, meeting the Welsh border on its western side. It is a mostly rural county, with its only settlement with a population of over 100,000 being the New Town of Telford. However, with the rural nature of the county, smaller settlements such as the county town of Shrewsbury, Bridgnorth, Ludlow and Oswestry play a much more important role in the road network than would otherwise be the case.
Across the County
The most important route through the county is the A5, which passes from the northwest of the county to Shrewsbury before heading eastwards out of the county, though its importance on the eastern side of the county has been undermined since the opening of the M54 in the Telford area in 1975, and its extension towards Wolverhampton, which opened in 1983.
As befits its status as the county town, despite its relatively small size (albeit not for Shropshire), Shrewsbury dominates the road network of the county, being the focal point of the majority of the county, being on the A5 as well as the A49, which runs north-south through the county, and the A458 into mid-Wales.
In the east of the county, Telford forms a hub of lesser importance, but this is due to the historical position of the New Town being an expansion of a previously extant group of towns, such as Wellington (a former Primary Destination in its own right), Oakengates and Dawley, and also to the presence of The Wrekin, a large, prominent hill immediately to the west of the town which funnelled the routes in the area into the A5. Telford also marks the north-western point of where Thomas Telford's Holyhead Road diverged from the A5 to take in what is now the A464 towards Wolverhampton.
Of the other Primary Destinations in the county, Oswestry and Bridgnorth form minor network hubs in their immediate area, whilst Whitchurch is one of the smallest Primary Destinations in England, with a population of under 10,000; it probably owes its status to being the largest settlement between Wolverhampton and Chester on the A41, and Shrewsbury and Warrington on the A49, rather than its own importance.
In the south-east of the county, the road network is focussed on the large city of Wolverhampton across the Staffordshire boundary, and the towns of Stourbridge and Kidderminster across the Worcestershire boundary.
Much of the southern section of Shropshire is hilly and so the road network is more fragmented. Roads that do enter this part of the county either follow the valleys or wind their way across the hills.
Highways Management
The majority of the road network in the county is managed by Shropshire County Council, whilst a large section in the east of the county is managed by Telford and Wrekin Council.
There are five roads managed by National Highways in the county - the M54, the A5 west of Telford, the A49 south of Shrewsbury, the A458 west of Shrewsbury and the A483.
Route | From | To | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|
M54 | Essington | Wellington, Shropshire | 23 miles | View |
A5(M) | Priorslee | Cluddley | 5 miles | View |
A5 | London | Holyhead | 252 miles | View |
A41 | London | Birkenhead | 204 miles | View |
A49 | Ross on Wye | Bamber Bridge | 158 miles | View |
A51 | Chester | Kingsbury | 79 miles | View |
A53 | Buxton | Battlefield, Shrewsbury | 55.1 miles | View |
A442 | Droitwich | Hodnet | 50.4 miles | View |
A454 | Bridgnorth | Sutton Coldfield | 29 miles | View |
A456 | Five Ways, Birmingham | Woofferton | 41 miles | View |
A458 | Quinton | Mallwyd | 86.6 miles | View |
A464 | Oaken | Telford | 10.0 miles | View |
A464 | Oaken | Nantwich | 37.5 miles | View |
A483 | Earlswood | Chester | 153.6 miles | View |
A488 | Shrewsbury | Penybont | 49.5 miles | View |
A489 | Machynlleth | Wistanstow | 53.0 miles | View |
A490 | Church Stoke | Llanfyllin | 22.0 miles | View |
A491 | Shrewsbury | Cemmaes Road | 49 miles | View |
A495 | Llanfair Caereinion | Redbrook | 38.2 miles | View |
A518 | Trench | Uttoxeter Bypass | 33.9 miles | View |
A519 | Newport, Shropshire (N) | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 19.7 miles | View |
A525 | Newcastle under Lyme | Rhyl | 73 miles | View |
A528 | Marchwiel | Shrewsbury | 26.0 miles | View |
A529 | Nantwich | Hinstock | 18.9 miles | View |
A529 | Chester | Hinstock | 33.6 miles | View |
A4083 | Queen's Head | Oswestry | 3.5 miles | View |
A4112 | Burford | Eardisley | 23.6 miles | View |
A4113 | Bromfield | Knighton | 14.0 miles | View |
A4117 | Ludlow | Fingerpost | 14.8 miles | View |
A4169 | Shifnal | Much Wenlock | 12.3 miles | View |
A4539 | Hollinswood | Priorslee | 0.3 miles | View |
A4541 | Meole Brace | The Column | 1.4 miles | View |
A4640 | Priorslee | Donnington | 3.8 miles | View |
A5012 | High Street | St Mary's Street | 0.1 miles | View |
A5013 | Mardol | Chester Street | 0.3 miles | View |
A5014 | Talbot Street | High Street | 0.1 miles | View |
A5064 | Emstrey | Shirehall | 1.3 miles | View |
A5112 | Bayleys roundabout | Battlefield | 5.3 miles | View |
A5112 | Emstrey | Shrewsbury | 1.3 miles | View |
A5113 | Harmer Hill | Whitchurch | 12.8 miles | View |
A5124 | Battlefield | Broadoak | 1.2 miles | View |
A5191 | Meole Brace | Ditherington | 3.4 miles | View |
A5223 | Shawbirch | Horsehay | 5.5 miles | View |
A5223 | Haygate | Wellington | 5.5 miles | View |
A5266 | Snedshill | Donnington | 2.5 miles | View |
A5523 | Shawbirch | Horsehay | 5.5 miles | View |
B4176 | Dudley | Brockton | 17.0 miles | View |
B4194 | Astley Cross | Kinlet | 9.9 miles | View |
B4199 | near Buttonbridge | Bradley Farm, Kinlet | 0.9 miles | View |
B4200 | Callow Hill | Henley | 14.3 miles | View |
B4201 | Mawleytown Farm | Six Ashes | 0.9 miles | View |
B4202 | Mawley Oak | Abberley | 6.7 miles | View |
B4214 | Cleehill | Ledbury | 28.4 miles | View |
B4361 | Ludlow bypass (N) | Cadbury's roundabout, Marlbrook | 16.5 miles | View |
B4362 | Walton | Woofferton | 20.2 miles | View |
B4363 | Bridgnorth (E) | Mawley, Cleobury Mortimer | 12.3 miles | View |
B4364 | near Henley | Bridgnorth | 17.2 miles | View |
B4365 | Pedlar's Rest | Bromfield | 4.8 miles | View |
B4366 | Bromfield | Knighton | 13.9 miles | View |
B4367 | Brampton Bryan | Long Meadowend | 8.8 miles | View |
B4368 | Morville | Abermule Bypass | 44.7 miles | View |
B4369 | Broome | Aston on Clun | 0.6 miles | View |
B4370 | Horderley | Marshbrook | 2.7 miles | View |
B4371 | Church Stretton | Much Wenlock | 12.4 miles | View |
B4372 | Morville | Shipton | 7.1 miles | View |
B4373 | Donnington Wood | Bridgnorth | 16.7 miles | View |
B4374 | Northgate | Salop Street | 0.2 miles | View |
B4375 | The Dunge | Marsh Gates | 3.1 miles | View |
B4376 | Broseley | Much Wenlock | 3.7 miles | View |
B4377 | Ironbridge | Broseley | 1.9 miles | View |
B4378 | Shipton | Much Wenlock | 6.6 miles | View |
B4379 | Brockton | Bloomsbury | 9.1 miles | View |
B4380 | Montford Bridge | Buildwas | 17.9 miles | View |
B4381 | Lawley | Coalbrookdale | 3.2 miles | View |
B4382 | Dawley | Horsehay | 1.1 miles | View |
B4383 | Lydham Heath | Lydham Manor | 1.0 mile | View |
B4384 | Bishop's Castle | Foul Lane End | 0.4 miles | View |
B4386 | Shrewsbury | Abermule | 27.1 miles | View |
B4387 | Halfway House | Minsterley | 5.4 miles | View |
B4393 | Llanwddyn | Ford | 40.1 miles | View |
B4394 | Wroxeter | Shawbirch | 6.0 miles | View |
B4396 | Abertridwr | Knockin Heath | 21.9 miles | View |
B4397 | Knockin Heath | near Horton | 11.7 miles | View |
B4398 | Vyrnwy New Bridge | Knockin | 5.6 miles | View |
B4399 | Porth-y-Waen | Stonehouse | 6.7 miles | View |
B4400 | Leg Street | Beatrice Street | 0.2 miles | View |
B4456 | Ashford Bowder | Ludlow | 3.5 miles | View |
B4473 | Ford | Montford Bridge | 1.0 mile | View |
B4499 | Brockton | Minsterley | 4.2 miles | View |
B4543 | Dawley | Donnington | View | |
B4555 | Bridgnorth | near Kinlet | 9.9 miles | View |
B4579 | Glyn Ceiriog | Oswestry eastern bypass | 10.5 miles | View |
B4580 | Oswestry By Pass | Rhos-y-brithdir | 16.2 miles | View |
B4589 | Telford | ? | View | |
B5009 | Gobowen bypass | Queen's Head | 5.5 miles | View |
B5026 | Irelands Cross | Walton, Stone | 16.9 miles | View |
B5060 | Snedshill | Donnington | 2.4 miles | View |
B5060 | Priorslee | Muxton | 3.9 miles | View |
B5061 | Priorslee | Attingham Park | 7.8 miles | View |
B5061 | Haygate | Wellington | 1.4 miles | View |
B5062 | Shrewsbury | Forton | 17.3 miles | View |
B5063 | Welshampton | Shawbirch | 21.1 miles | View |
B5064 | Battlefield, Shrewsbury | Prees Heath | 14.1 miles | View |
B5064 | Ditherington | Shrewsbury | 1.8 miles | View |
B5065 | Wem | Sandford | 5.4 miles | View |
B5066 | Prees Higher Heath | Darliston | 0.8 miles | View |
B5067 | Baschurch | Shrewsbury | 7.7 miles | View |
B5068 | St Martins | Ellesmere | 5.1 miles | View |
B5069 | Hampton Heath | Nant y Caws | 23.8 miles | View |
B5070 | Bryn-er-Eos | St Martin's Moor | 3.7 miles | View |
B5072 | Rampart Way | Lawley | 1.6 miles | View |
B5314 | Weston-under-Lizard | Weston Heath | 1.8 miles | View |
B5316 | Oakengates | Ketley Bank | 0.4 miles | View |
B5354 | Mill Street | Newport Road | 0.2 miles | View |
B5364 | Chemistry | Whitchurch town centre | 1.2 miles | View |
B5395 | Malpas | Whitchurch | 6.8 miles | View |
B5398 | Broughall | Chemistry | 2.2 miles | View |
B5406 | St. George's | Oakengates | 2.1 miles | View |
B5462 | View | |||
B5476 | Harmer Hill | Whitchurch (N) | 14.7 miles | View |
B5477 | All Stretton | Little Stretton | 4.3 miles | View |
T11 | London | Holyhead | View | |
T14 | E of Birmingham | Birkenhead | View | |
T17 | Newport | Shrewsbury | View | |
T18 | Swansea | Manchester | View | |
T50 | NW of Wolverhampton | Oakengates | 13 miles | View |
T57 | Shrewsbury | Warrington | View | |
T83 | Shrewsbury | Dolgellau | View |
Key
Turnpikes
Junctions
Bridges, Tunnels, and other Crossings