Staffordshire
Staffordshire | |||
Location Map ( geo) | |||
| |||
Primary Destinations | |||
Brownhills • Burton upon Trent • Cannock • Leek • Lichfield • Newcastle-under-Lyme • Rugeley • Stafford • Stoke-on-Trent • Tamworth • Uttoxeter • Walsall • West Bromwich • Wolverhampton | |||
Other Important Destinations | |||
Coseley • Smethwick • Willenhall | |||
Current Highway Authorities | |||
Birmingham City Council • Dudley MBC • Sandwell MBC • Staffordshire County Council • Stoke-on-Trent City Council • Walsall Council • City of Wolverhampton Council • Worcestershire County Council | |||
Borders | |||
Cheshire • Derbyshire • Leicestershire • Shropshire • Warwickshire • Worcestershire | |||
National Highways Roads | |||
M5 • M6 • M6 Toll • M54 • A5 • A38 • A50 • A449 • A500 • A4510 • A5148 | |||
Staffordshire is a traditional county in central England. It contains the cities of Wolverhampton, Stoke-on-Trent and Lichfield, as well as towns such as Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stafford, Walsall and West Bromwich.
It is the location of the first new-build inter-urban highway of the twentieth century, the A4123 Wolverhampton - Birmingham New Road.
Across the county
In the motorway age, the county is bisected from north to south by the M5 and M6, which are perhaps not surprisingly the busiest roads in the county. The M6 Toll bypasses the southern section of M6 in the county, whilst the M54 serves northern Wolverhampton on its way to Shropshire. The M42 just passes beyond the eastern side of the county boundary near Tamworth.
Prior to the coming of the motorways, the primary traffic movements through the county were in similar corridors to today, with the A34 passing from the Manchester area to the north, through Newcastle-under-Lyme in the north of the county to Stone and Stafford in the central area and then on to Cannock and Walsall in the south before heading out of the county into Birmingham. The other high-traffic routes were along the A449, starting in Stafford and heading through Wolverhampton before passing out of the southern part of the county towards Worcester; and the A38, which passed through Burton upon Trent and Lichfield on the eastern side of the county on its route between Birmingham and Derby.
Whilst the Roman Watling Street (now A5) passes through the county from west to east, it was perhaps surprising to note that in the early part of the twentieth century, the road was relatively quiet, for two possible reasons. Firstly, the road bypasses all major settlements in the county, passing almost equidistant between Wolverhampton and Stafford, before passing Cannock to the south, Brownhills to the north, and Tamworth again to the south. Secondly, the road was replaced as the main London - Holyhead coaching road by Thomas Telford, whose new Holyhead Road entered the county along the now-A41 near to West Bromwich before passing through Wolverhampton city centre, and then taking the now-A464 to leave the county in the direction of Telford and Shrewsbury.
Urban road development
The pattern of urban road development is, not surprisingly, focussed on the largest cities in the area.
In the south of the county, the Black Country conurbation is a true multi-centred conurbation, with the road network simply passing from town centre to town centre in the area (and hence appearing to be rather chaotic on maps), whilst the presence of Birmingham just over the Warwickshire border influences the pattern somewhat, with Birmingham radials passing into the county.
Further north, Wolverhampton forms a major centre, with the vast majority of the road network in the area radiating from the city centre, which was only bypassed by the M6 and M5 motorways in the early 1970s. To a lesser extent, Walsall also acts as a hub for the network in its immediate area.
As befits its status as an old Cathedral City, Lichfield acts as a major road hub to the eastern side of the county; whilst the traditional County Town of Stafford acts as a hub for the central area.
The Potteries conurbation not surprisingly forms the major hub for the northern part of the county, but perhaps more surprisingly it is more focussed on the town of Newcastle-under-Lyme rather than the larger city of Stoke-on-Trent. This is due to the historical factors, with Newcastle being the largest of the towns in the area as the city of Stoke-on-Trent was formed in 1910 as a federation of several smaller settlements.
Highways Management
The majority of the county's road network is managed by Staffordshire County Council, with the exception of the two major urban areas in the county.
The urban road network in the south is managed by a combination of City of Wolverhampton Council, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and Birmingham City Council. In the north Stoke-on-Trent City Council has responsibility for the network within its boundaries. It should be noted that parts of the Potteries outside Stoke-on-Trent, such as Newcastle-under-Lyme have their network maintained by the County Council.
There are small areas around the edge of the county whose roads are maintained by other Highway Authorities, the largest of which is the Upper Arley area of the historic Parish of Wolverhampton, which falls under the jurisdiction of Worcestershire County Council.
National Highways have responsibility for a number of Trunk Roads within the county. The county's motorway network of M6, M5, M42 and M54 falls into this category, whilst the M6 Toll is managed by Midland Expressway on National Highways's behalf. In addition to the motorway network, almost the entire A38 in the county (as well as its spur the A5148) is maintained by HE, whilst the section of A50 between Stoke-on-Trent and Derby; the section of A449 between M54 and A5 just north of Wolverhampton; the A500 between its two M6 junctions through Stoke-on-Trent and the A5 from the A449 north of Wolverhampton eastwards are also the responsibility of HE. The shortest Trunk Road in the county is the A4510 on the edge of Wolverhampton.
Route | From | To | Length | |
---|---|---|---|---|
M5 | West Bromwich | Exeter | 166 miles | View |
M6 | Catthorpe, Leicestershire | Gretna, Dumfriesshire | 236 miles | View |
M6 Toll | Coleshill, Warwickshire | Shareshill, Staffordshire | 27 miles | View |
M54 | Essington | Wellington, Shropshire | 23 miles | View |
M64 | Long Whatton | Trentham | 40 miles | View |
M600 | Coleshill, Warwickshire | Shareshill, Staffordshire | 27 miles | View |
A446(M) | Coleshill | Shareshill | 27 miles | View |
A5 | London | Holyhead | 252 miles | View |
A34 | Winchester | Salford | 200 miles | View |
A38 | Bodmin | Mansfield | 309.7 miles | View |
A41 | London | Birkenhead | 204 miles | View |
A50 | Leicester | Warrington | 99.3 miles | View |
A51 | Chester | Kingsbury | 79 miles | View |
A52 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Mablethorpe | 146.0 miles | View |
A53 | Buxton | Battlefield, Shrewsbury | 55.1 miles | View |
A442 | Droitwich | Hodnet | 50.4 miles | View |
A444 | Baginton, Coventry | Burton upon Trent | 34.5 miles | View |
A449 | Stafford | Coldra, Newport | 108 miles | View |
A451 | Stourbridge | Great Witley | 16.2 miles | View |
A452 | Leamington Spa | Brownhills | 39.8 miles | View |
A453 | Perry Barr | Nottingham | 49.1 miles | View |
A454 | Bridgnorth | Sutton Coldfield | 29 miles | View |
A455 | Birmingham | Stafford | 27 miles | View |
A457 | Birmingham | Sedgley | 10.8 miles | View |
A458 | Quinton | Mallwyd | 86.6 miles | View |
A459 | Wolverhampton | Halesowen | 13 miles | View |
A460 | Wolverhampton | Rugeley | 18.6 miles | View |
A461 | Wollaston | Lichfield | 23.2 miles | View |
A462 | Wednesbury | Laney Green | 8.3 miles | View |
A463 | Wombourne | Willenhall | 7.1 miles | View |
A464 | Oaken | Telford | 10.0 miles | View |
A464 | Oaken | Nantwich | 37.5 miles | View |
A491 | Lydiate Ash | Wall Heath | 12 miles | View |
A500 | Hanchurch | Nantwich | 18.8 miles | View |
A511 | Markfield | Foston | 25.2 miles | View |
A511 | Atherstone | Burton upon Trent | 19.0 miles | View |
A513 | Tamworth | Trinity Fields, Stafford | 31.0 miles | View |
A515 | Lichfield | Buxton | 45.7 miles | View |
A518 | Trench | Uttoxeter Bypass | 33.9 miles | View |
A519 | Newport, Shropshire (N) | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 19.7 miles | View |
A520 | Stone | Leek | 16.9 miles | View |
A521 | Meir Park | Froghall | 8.3 miles | View |
A522 | Uttoxeter | Wetley Rocks | 14.5 miles | View |
A523 | Calton Moor House | Hazel Grove | 31.9 miles | View |
A524 | Calton Moor House | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 20 miles | View |
A525 | Newcastle under Lyme | Rhyl | 73 miles | View |
A526 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Salford | 35.8 miles | View |
A527 | Congleton | Newcastle-under-Lyme | 13.7 miles | View |
A529 | Nantwich | Hinstock | 18.9 miles | View |
A531 | Madeley Heath | Weston | 6.7 miles | View |
A4026 | Watford Gap | Little Aston | 1.1 miles | View |
A4030 | Bearwood | Smethwick | 1.7 miles | View |
A4031 | Walsall | Smethwick | 5.2 miles | View |
A4033 | Burnt Tree | Tividale | 1.0 mile | View |
A4034 | Mucklow Hill | Oldbury | 4.1 miles | View |
A4035 | Great Bridge | West Bromwich | 1.3 miles | View |
A4036 | Dudley | Pedmore | 4.6 miles | View |
A4037 | Wednesbury | Dudley | 4.0 miles | View |
A4038 | Moxley | Pleck | 2.5 miles | View |
A4039 | Bilston | Penn | 2.7 miles | View |
A4040 | The Hawthorns | Handsworth | 26.5 miles | View |
A4040 | Wall Heath | Kidderminster | 8.3 miles | View |
A4041 | West Bromwich | Streetly | 5.2 miles | View |
A4091 | Tamworth | Wishaw | 5.7 miles | View |
A4092 | Bearwood | Summerfield Park, Smethwick | 0.9 miles | View |
A4098 | Moxley | Gospel Oak | 1.1 miles | View |
A4099 | Halesowen | Blackheath | 1.3 miles | View |
A4100 | Blackheath | Brierley Hill | 4.2 miles | View |
A4101 | Ashwood | Dudley | 3.7 miles | View |
A4102 | Brettell Lane, Amblecote | High Street, Amblecote | 0.5 miles | View |
A4121 | Union Street | Upper High Street | 0.2 miles | View |
A4123 | Wolverhampton | Harborne | 12.0 miles | View |
A4124 | Wolverhampton | Brownhills | 9.5 miles | View |
A4126 | Monmore Green | Coseley | 2.1 miles | View |
A4148 | Bescot, Walsall | Bescot (circular) | 5.7 miles | View |
A4150 | Wolverhampton | Wolverhampton | 2.1 miles | View |
A4168 | Woodsetton | Dudley | 1.22 miles | View |
A4168 | West Bromwich | Smethwick | 0.7 miles | View |
A4181 | Smethwick | West Bromwich | View | |
A4182 | Oldbury | West Bromwich | 1.4 miles | View |
A4196 | Wednesbury | Carter's Green | 2.1 miles | View |
A4252 | West Bromwich | Smethwick | 0.7 miles | View |
A4444 | The Lunt, Bilston | Moxley | 0.64 miles | View |
A4510 | Coven Heath Interchange | i54 Business Park | 0.9 miles | View |
A4601 | Wedges Mills | Blackfords, Cannock | 3.3 miles | View |
A5003 | George Street | Aldergate | 0.2 miles | View |
A5005 | Longton | Rough Close | 2.5 miles | View |
A5006 | Sideway | Hanley | 3.2 miles | View |
A5007 | Normacot | Fenton | 2.9 miles | View |
A5008 | Etruria | Bucknall | 1.7 miles | View |
A5009 | Bucknall | Baddeley Green | 2.8 miles | View |
A5010 | Hanley | Etruria | 0.5 miles | View |
A5011 | Talke | Lawton Gate | 1.9 miles | View |
A5013 | Eccleshall | Stafford | 6.4 miles | View |
A5035 | Trentham | Longton | 3.5 miles | View |
A5077 | Uttoxeter | Uttoxeter bypass | 1.3 miles | View |
A5121 | Branston | Stretton | 4.5 miles | View |
A5127 | Birmingham | Streethay | 16.8 miles | View |
A5148 | Swinfen | Wall | 1.5 miles | View |
A5159 | Watling Street | Brownhills Interchange | 0.6 miles | View |
A5182 | Acton | Hanchurch | 1.8 miles | View |
A5187 | Newport Road | Foregate Street | 0.55 miles | View |
A5189 | Burton upon Trent | Stapenhill | 1.4 miles | View |
A5190 | Cannock | Pipehill, Lichfield | 7.7 miles | View |
A5192 | Stafford Road | Lichfield | 3.1 miles | View |
A5195 | Brownhills | Chasetown | 1.8 miles | View |
A5206 | Swinfen | Lichfield | 0.7 miles | View |
A5271 | Porthill | Pitts Hill | 2.5 miles | View |
A5272 | Weston Coyney | Great Chell | 7.5 miles | View |
A5288 | Newport Road | Foregate Street | 1.2 miles | View |
B4119 | Wishaw | Tamworth | 5.9 miles | View |
B4121 | Cotteridge | Harborne | 5.1 miles | View |
B4123 | Beech Lanes | Selly Oak | 2.7 miles | View |
B4124 | Harborne | Hamstead | 5.4 miles | View |
B4125 | Smethwick | Chad Valley | 1.8 miles | View |
B4129 | Summerfield Park | Harborne | 2.8 miles | View |
B4135 | Smethwick | Paradise Circus, Birmingham | 1.8 miles | View |
B4136 | Smethwick | Handsworth | 1.5 miles | View |
B4138 | Little Aston crossroads | Perry | 5.4 miles | View |
B4139 | Perry Bar | New Oscott | 2.2 miles | View |
B4149 | West Bromwich | New Oscott | 8.2 miles | View |
B4150 | Queslett | Sutton Park | 1.2 miles | View |
B4151 | Walsall | Bassett's Pole | 8.2 miles | View |
B4152 | Brownhills | Aldridge | 2.7 miles | View |
B4153 | Brownhills | Walsall Wood | 0.6 miles | View |
B4154 | Hednesford | Queslett | 13 miles | View |
B4155 | High Street | Chase Road | 1.3 miles | View |
B4156 | The Scotlands | Great Wyrley | 6.1 miles | View |
B4157 | Willenhall (Bilston Lane) | Ashmore Lake | 1.4 miles | View |
B4158 | The Broadway | Eve Hill | 0.8 miles | View |
B4158 | Princes Square | Snow Hill | 0.3 miles | View |
B4159 | Darlington Street, Wolverhampton | Salop Street, Wolverhampton | 0.2 miles | View |
B4160 | Elephant and Castle | Five Ways | 0.3 miles | View |
B4161 | Tettenhall | Goldthorn Hill | 3.2 miles | View |
B4162 | Stow Heath | Bilston | 0.5 miles | View |
B4162 | Monmore Green | Deepfields | 2.1 miles | View |
B4163 | Bilston | Dudley Port | 3.7 miles | View |
B4164 | Moxley | Gospel Oak | 1.1 miles | View |
B4165 | West Bromwich | Walsall | 4.9 miles | View |
B4166 | Horseley Heath | Oldbury | 2.2 miles | View |
B4167 | Hamstead | Newton | 1.3 miles | View |
B4168 | Smethwick | West Bromwich | 0.9 miles | View |
B4169 | Hurst Green | Smethwick | 4.0 miles | View |
B4171 | Dudley | Blackheath | 3.3 miles | View |
B4172 | Silver End | Withymoor Village | 0.8 miles | View |
B4173 | Netherton, Dudley | Cradley | 2.3 miles | View |
B4174 | Quarry Bank | Cradley | 0.9 miles | View |
B4175 | Upper Gornal | Wall Heath | 3.4 miles | View |
B4176 | Dudley | Brockton | 17.0 miles | View |
B4177 | Dudley | Ashwood | 3.7 miles | View |
B4178 | Summerhill, Kingswinford | Kidderminster Road | 0.49 miles | View |
B4179 | Brierley Hill | Pensnett | 1.5 miles | View |
B4180 | Brierley Hill | Wordsley | 1.8 miles | View |
B4181 | Brettell Lane | High Street | 0.5 miles | View |
B4182 | Langley | Bearwood | 3.0 miles | View |
B4200 | James Bridge, Darlaston | Wednesbury | 1.3 miles | View |
B4210 | Springhill | Walsall | 4.4 miles | View |
B4430 | Wallows Lane | Wednesbury Road | 0.3 miles | View |
B4454 | Wednesfield | March End | 0.4 miles | View |
B4456 | Pleck | Pleck via loop | 5.1 miles | View |
B4458 | Eve Hill | Wren's Nest | 0.7 miles | View |
B4464 | Portobello | Bentley | 2.5 miles | View |
B4483 | Woodsetton | Coseley | 1.3 miles | View |
B4484 | The Scotlands | Bilston | 5.7 miles | View |
B4513 | Reddal Hill Road | Halesowen Road | 0.4 miles | View |
B4517 | Tipton Green | Great Bridge | 2.0 miles | View |
B4537 | New Wood | Wollaston High Street | 0.83 miles | View |
B4558 | Wren's Nest | Eve Hill | 0.7 miles | View |
B4563 | Gospel End Street | Dudley Street | 0.14 miles | View |
B4588 | Wren's Nest | Eve Hill | 0.76 miles | View |
B4590 | The Keyway | Bilston Lane | 0.5 miles | View |
B5011 | Middleton Bridge | Catshill | 0.9 miles | View |
B5012 | Penkridge | Cannock | 5.1 miles | View |
B5013 | Rugeley | Uttoxeter | 10.6 miles | View |
B5014 | Abbots Bromley(W) | Rileyhill | 8.7 miles | View |
B5015 | The Green | Uttoxeter Road | 0.14 miles | View |
B5016 | Yoxall | Barton Turn | 3.9 miles | View |
B5017 | Burton upon Trent | Uttoxeter | 13.9 miles | View |
B5018 | Branston | Wetmore | 3.7 miles | View |
B5025 | Greengate Street | Stafford Station | 0.3 miles | View |
B5026 | Irelands Cross | Walton, Stone | 16.9 miles | View |
B5027 | Stone | Uttoxeter | 14.6 miles | View |
B5028 | Market Place | Church Street | 0.05 miles | View |
B5029 | Blythe Bridge | Meir Heath | 1.8 miles | View |
B5030 | Uttoxeter | Ellastone | 5.3 miles | View |
B5031 | Rocester | Denstone | 0.9 miles | View |
B5032 | Cheadle | Hanging Bridge | 11.2 miles | View |
B5033 | Ellastone | Darley Moor | 3.5 miles | View |
B5037 | Dresden | Normacot | 1.1 miles | View |
B5038 | Florence | Hanchurch | 4.8 miles | View |
B5039 | Longton | Adderley Green | 1.5 miles | View |
B5040 | Bucknall | Weston Coyney | 3.3 miles | View |
B5041 | Trent Vale | Stoke-upon-Trent | 1.4 miles | View |
B5042 | Hartshill Road | Stoke Road | 0.2 miles | View |
B5043 | Clayton Road | Grosvenor Roundabout | 0.2 miles | View |
B5044 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Keele | 3.1 miles | View |
B5045 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Shelton, Stoke on Trent | 1.3 miles | View |
B5045 | Woodseaves | Great Bridgeford | 5.7 miles | View |
B5046 | Etruria | Shelton | 0.6 miles | View |
B5047 | Potteries Way, Hanley | Keelings Road, Birches Head | 0.4 miles | View |
B5048 | Town Road | Stafford Street | 0.05 miles | View |
B5049 | Great Chell | Northwood | 3.7 miles | View |
B5050 | Burslem | Cobridge | 1.0 mile | View |
B5051 | Longport | Endon | 5.4 miles | View |
B5052 | Scotia Road | Victoria Park Road | 0.2 miles | View |
B5053 | Froghall | Brierlow Bar | 16.7 miles | View |
B5054 | Newhaven | Warslow | 4.8 miles | View |
B5058 | Church Street | Stockwell Street | 0.2 miles | View |
B5066 | Stafford | Meir Heath | 11.7 miles | View |
B5170 | Stafford Road | Lichfield | 3.1 miles | View |
B5234 | Abbots Bromley | Needwood | 6.3 miles | View |
B5312 | The Friary | Tamworth Gate | 1 mile | View |
B5314 | Weston-under-Lizard | Weston Heath | 1.8 miles | View |
B5315 | Granville Square | Stone Station | 0.3 miles | View |
B5331 | Poolend | Rudyard | 1.0 mile | View |
B5352 | Whitmore Road | Higherland | 0.37 miles | View |
B5367 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | Shraleybrook | 5.4 miles | View |
B5369 | Basford ST5 | Chesterton ST5 | 2.3 miles | View |
B5371 | Kidsgrove | Butt Lane | 1.0 mile | View |
B5399 | Silver Street, Tamworth | Gungate | 0.2 miles | View |
B5404 | Hopwas | Quarry Hill | 5.7 miles | View |
B5405 | Woodseaves | Great Bridgeford | 5.7 miles | View |
B5415 | Red Bull | Winnington | 2.8 miles | View |
B5416 | Derby Street | Union Street | 0.4 miles | View |
B5417 | Cheadle | Cauldon Lowe | 6.0 miles | View |
B5490 | Sideway | Hem Heath | 1.7 miles | View |
B5493 | Tamworth | Appleby Magna | 7.8 miles | View |
B5500 | Chesterton | Balterley Heath | 7.1 miles | View |
B5999 | Porthill | Tunstall | 1.3 miles | View |
T11 | London | Holyhead | View | |
T13 | Winchester | Preston | View | |
T14 | E of Birmingham | Birkenhead | View | |
T16 | Exeter | Leeds | View | |
T48 | Weedon | Brownhills | View | |
T49 | Worcester | Stafford | 41 miles | View |
T50 | NW of Wolverhampton | Oakengates | 13 miles | View |
T53 | North East of Birmingham | Nottingham | View | |
T54 | Nottingham | Stoke-on-Trent | View | |
T55 | Derby | S of Stockport | View | |
T56 | Stoke-on-Trent | Delamare | View | |
T108 | South of Stafford | Stafford | 6 miles | View |
T116 | Little Packington | Weeford | View |
Key
Turnpikes
Junctions
Bridges, Tunnels, and other Crossings