89-594: The A500 is a major primary A road in Staffordshire and Cheshire , England. It is dual carriageway for most of its length and connects Nantwich , junctions 16 and 15 of the M6 motorway with the city of Stoke-on-Trent . It is 19 miles (31 km) long. The road was built to provide links between Stoke-on-Trent and the M6, before being extended to Nantwich. Construction has taken place over several stages, beginning in 1962, with
178-517: A B road and the section from Weston to Nantwich was incorporated into the A500. In 1989 a bypass to the east of Nantwich was opened, extending the A500 from the south of Nantwich to its current northerly terminus with the A51 . In 1993 a proposal was made to add the missing flyover and underpass close to Stoke-on-Trent railway station , after an alternative plan had been rejected because of its cost. A full review of
267-465: A better value project, faster." The project involved alterations to the path of the Trent and Mersey Canal and River Trent , along with new provisions for pedestrians. The work was carried out by Edmund Nuttall Limited and was planned to be completed in spring 2006. Following a number of delays for which it was rumoured the construction company was being fined up to £100,000 a day for not keeping to schedule,
356-446: A blue background, primary routes are indicated by green directional and distance signs with yellow text, whilst secondary roads use black text on a white background. In the UK, vehicles are normally driven or ridden on the left and required to keep to the left except when overtaking, turning right or passing pedestrians, parked vehicles and other obstructions in the road. In Great Britain ,
445-484: A canal that could bring coal in from Cheshire . The owners of the River Weaver Navigation were also not happy about the proposals, because the route would almost parallel that of the river. Yet another route was published which, much to the shock of Wedgwood, did not at all include the potteries. Wedgwood, intent on having a waterway connection to his potteries, managed to send his proposal to Parliament, with
534-455: A date of 75 BC, probably built by the Iceni tribe. Roads built in the first phase of Roman occupation (43–68 AD) connected London with the ports used in the invasion ( Chichester and Richborough ), and with the earlier legionary bases at Colchester ( Camulodunum ), Lincoln ( Lindum ), Wroxeter ( Viroconium ), Gloucester and Exeter . As Roman influence expanded, so did
623-567: A massive celebration was held in the Potteries where Josiah Wedgwood cut the first sod of soil. James Brindley was employed as engineer and work got under way." Six years before the complete opening of the Trent and Mersey Canal in 1771, Wedgwood built the factory village of Etruria on the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent, close to the canal. By this time, much of the canal had been built towards Preston Brook . The only obstacle that still had to be tackled by
712-565: A new network of high-speed routes across the country. The passing of the Special Roads Act 1949 gave the government legal powers to build roads that were not automatically rights of way for certain types of user. In 1958, the first motorway was opened as the Preston Bypass , now part of the M6 motorway . The first major motorway to open was the M1 between Crick and Berrygrove . In 1963,
801-474: A poor state of repair. The new Ministry of Transport created a classification system for the important routes connecting large population centres or for through traffic, with the definitive list being published in 1922/3 and revised in 1926/7. High unemployment after the end of World War I led the Minister of Transport to provide grant funding to the county councils to improve roads, particularly where labour
890-573: A report on urban transport planning policy, Traffic in Towns , was produced for the UK Department of Transport by a team headed by the architect , civil engineer and planner Colin Buchanan . While it advocated the construction and reorganisation of towns to accommodate the motor car and lorry, it stressed that this would have to be balanced with restrictions, in accordance with local needs. It highlighted
979-698: A royal commission into the question of toll roads. The growing popularity of cycling also prompted calls for road improvements, with the Cyclists' Touring Club and National Cyclists' Union pooling resources to form the Roads Improvement Association in October 1886; this focused on producing technical literature distributed to highways boards and surveyors to promote improved construction and maintenance methods. The Local Government Act 1888 created borough and county councils with responsibility for maintaining
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#17328584403211068-503: A well developed and extensive network of roads totalling about 262,300 miles (422,100 km). Road distances are shown in miles or yards and UK speed limits are indicated in miles per hour (mph) or by the use of the national speed limit (NSL) symbol. Some vehicle categories have various lower maximum limits enforced by speed limiters . A unified numbering system is in place for Great Britain , whilst in Northern Ireland , there
1157-769: Is Fradley Junction (with the Coventry Canal's "detached portion" ). The Coventry soon leads to the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and branches off to Birmingham or (via another stretch of the Coventry Canal) to Coventry and a junction with the Oxford Canal and thence to the Thames and the 'Southern Half' of the English canals. The canal now heads directly to its terminus, passing through Burton upon Trent , Mercia Marina at Findern ,
1246-477: Is a 93 + 1 ⁄ 2 -mile (150 km) canal in Derbyshire , Staffordshire and Cheshire in north-central England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities to the east of Burton upon Trent and north of Middlewich , it is a wide canal. The narrow locks and bridges are big enough for a single narrowboat 7 feet (2.1 m) wide by 72 feet (22 m) long, while
1335-955: Is maintained by the Department for Transport in combination with National Highways (for England), the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government . The concept of primary roads was introduced in the 1960s as part of a national reclassification of roads. Regional destinations are commonly used on long-distance routes throughout the country alongside primary destinations. They are displayed on signs in capitals to distinguish them from towns and cities. The boundaries of these regional destinations are not specifically defined and apply to generalised areas. The regions are: Mid Wales, North Wales, Scotland, South Wales, The East, The Lakes, The Dales, The Midlands, The North, The North East, The North West, The South, The South West and The West. Signage on
1424-511: Is no available explanation for the allocation of road numbers in Northern Ireland. The majority of the major inter-urban routes are motorways, and are designed to carry long-distance traffic. The next category is the primary route network, formed from parts of the A-road network. A primary route is defined as: ...a route, not being a route comprising any part of a motorway, in respect of which
1513-556: Is no available explanation for the allocation of road numbers. The earliest specifically engineered roads were built during the prehistoric British Iron Age . The road network was expanded during the Roman occupation . Some of these roads still remain to this day. New roads were added in the Middle Ages and from the 17th century onwards. Whilst control has been transferred between local and central bodies, current management and development of
1602-529: Is not even a village—merely a hotel and a few other buildings—yet has the status of a primary destination due to its location at the interchange of the A1 and A66 roads . For similar reasons, certain airports , sea ports , bridges and tunnels have been designated as primary destinations. Conversely, some towns with a population of over 50,000 are not primary destinations, including Woking , Chatham and Cumbernauld . The status of both primary destinations and roads
1691-528: Is responsible for all 5,592 miles (8,999 km) roads. The pan-UK total is 15,260 miles (24,560 km). Whilst generally they are trunk roads, some motorways are the responsibility of local authorities, for example the M275 . Since 2008, location marker posts have appeared on motorways and major A roads in England, situated generally at intervals of 500 metres (though the units are not given). These repeat
1780-505: Is unclear. Primary destinations are usually cities and large towns, to which, as a result of their size, a high volume of traffic is expected to go. However, in rural areas, smaller towns or villages may be given primary status if located at junctions of significant roads: for example, Llangurig in Wales and Crianlarich in Scotland . As a further example, Scotch Corner in northern England
1869-532: Is unusual but examples can be found in all four countries in the UK. Each road is given a number which is combined with the prefix, for example M40 , A40 and B1110 , although their informal or traditional names may still be used or heard occasionally: for instance, the Great North Road (now part of the A1 ) and the Great Cambridge Road (modern A10 ). These numbers follow a zonal system . There
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#17328584403211958-581: The Campaign for Safe Road Design , which is calling on the UK Government to make safe road design a national transport priority. The earliest evidence of engineered roads dates back to the 1st century BC. A metalled and cambered road, 1.5 metres high and six metres wide, was unearthed at Bayston Hill quarry, near Shrewsbury . A timber road was preserved in peat in Geldeston , Norfolk , with tree rings suggesting
2047-488: The Highway Code applies. In Northern Ireland, the Highway Code for Northern Ireland applies. UK speed limits apply only to motor vehicles and are shown in mph . With a few exceptions, they are in multiples of 10, ranging from 20 miles per hour (32 km/h) to 70 miles per hour (113 km/h). Unless a lower speed limit is posted on a road, the national speed limit applies, which varies between class of vehicles and
2136-648: The M4 's Second Severn Crossing (officially 'The Prince of Wales Bridge') included tolls. However, after being closed for toll removal for three days, the bridge opened up again on 17 December starting with a formal ceremony. Toll payment was scrapped and it marked history as it is believed to be the first time in 400 years that the crossing will be free. Since the abolition of tolls on the Forth and Tay Road Bridges in 2008, there are no longer any toll roads in Scotland. In June 2008,
2225-711: The "junction" with the River Weaver at Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich . After Anderton, the next major destination is Middlewich , where a junction with the 50-yard-long (46 m) Wardle Canal leads to the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal which gives access to Chester , Llangollen and ( heading south on the Shropshire Union) a parallel route to Birmingham via Wolverhampton . South of Middlewich, having passed through Wheelock ,
2314-536: The 'spare' lock was replaced by a steel contrivance with guillotine gates. Theoretically, this was adjustable to compensate for further subsidence although, in practice it was less than successful and was ultimately removed altogether. Little evidence of 'Thurlwood Steel Lock' remains today. The boater can use the Macclesfield Canal to head for Marple, and the junction with the Peak Forest Canal (and hence, via
2403-636: The 1930s, both the Institution of Highway Engineers and The County Surveyors' Society had published plans for a network of high-speed roads, whilst the Minister of Transport , Leslie Burgin , also visited the autobahn under construction in Germany . Lancashire County Council proposed a new scheme for a motorway and it was agreed to go ahead. This was, however, postponed due to the start of World War II . During World War II, government plans were drawn up to create
2492-523: The 1980s single carriageway extension route it continues east through a cutting to the M6 at Junction 16 where it becomes a dual carriageway. Continuing through open countryside it passes under the A34 at Talke Pits , turns south before meeting the Tunstall Western Bypass and enters the north of Stoke-on-Trent. Now continuing in an urban setting it runs between Newcastle and Burslem, passing through
2581-465: The A500 and A34. The 1977 section east of this junction had been built with provision for the bridge, but the section built as the A5006 required realignment for the new interchange. In the late 1980s the road was extended from Junction 16 close to Weston with connections provided to existing roads to Keele and Crewe . The A52, which at that time ran to Nantwich, was renumbered from Newcastle to Weston as
2670-557: The Ashton, Rochdale and Bridgewater canal) to complete the ' Cheshire Ring '. In September 2012 a serious breach occurred at Dutton Hollow near Preston Brook , which cost around £2.1 million to repair. The breach was south of bridge 213 and the canal was unusable between there and Middlewich Big Lock 75. The canal was officially reopened on 2 May 2013. After the Harecastle Tunnel (one way, alternating roughly every two hours),
2759-536: The Hall Green branch, simply treating it as part of the Macclesfield Canal). The actual junction where the branch leaves the main line is a normal right-angle junction called Hardings Wood Junction . The branch leaves the main line on the south side, then immediately turns 90 degrees clockwise. It runs westwards alongside the main line, maintaining the original level while the main line drops through two locks. At
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2848-583: The Red Bull settlement, the branch turns 90 degrees right, to head north and cross the main line on Poole Lock aqueduct. It then immediately crosses the A50 on Red Bull aqueduct, carrying boats north to join the Macclesfield Canal at Hall Green. The canal passes through the city of Stoke-on-Trent , where it meets the Caldon Canal . The canal formed an integral part of the 1986 Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival and in 1988
2937-648: The Road Safety Foundation reported that 30 per cent of the primary route network in Great Britain failed to rate as safe, and a quarter of all motorways were outside the safest risk band. In 2006, the 8-mile (13 km) Cat and Fiddle Road between Macclesfield and Buxton was named as Britain's most dangerous road. The single-carriageway road has been the scene of 43 fatal or serious collisions since 2001, nearly three-quarters of them involving motorcyclists. When collisions involving motorcyclists are removed from
3026-593: The Secretary of State — (a) in the case of a trunk road is of the opinion, and (b) in any other case after consultation with the traffic authority for the road comprised in the route is of the opinion, that it provides the most satisfactory route for through traffic between places of traffic importance A new standard was set in April 2015 to formally designate certain high-quality routes as Expressways , but whether this will result in any existing road classifications changing
3115-848: The Severn, was built as the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal , whilst the southeastern arm (to the Thames) traversed the Coventry and Oxford Canals. On the Cheshire stretch of the canal, between Middlewich and the northern end of the canal in Preston Brook Tunnel, is the Victorian Anderton Boat Lift , which lowers boats fifty feet from the T&;M to the River Weaver . It was restored to full operation in 2002 after twenty years of disuse, and
3204-610: The T&M climbs out of the Cheshire Plain via the 'Heartbreak Hill' locks (more traditionally known as the 'Cheshire Locks') to the summit-level and the junction with the Hall Green Branch , leading to the Macclesfield Canal at Red Bull Kidsgrove . Most of the locks in this flight are doubled, although not all of the duplicates are still usable. Of particular note was lock 53 where, because of subsidence from brine pumping,
3293-965: The Treasury. Tolls or congestion charges are used for some major bridges and tunnels, for example the Dartford Crossing has a congestion charge. The M6 Toll , originally the Birmingham Northern Relief Road, is designed to relieve the M6 through Birmingham , which is one of the most heavily used roads in the country. There were two public toll roads (Roydon Road in Stanstead Abbots and College Road in Dulwich ) and about five private toll roads. Since 2006, congestion charging has been in operation in London and in Durham . Before 14 December 2018,
3382-489: The UK network conforms broadly to European norms, though a number of signs are unique to Britain and direction signs omit European route numbers. All length distances are shown in miles or yards, speed is in miles per hour whilst height and width restrictions are required to be shown in feet and inches (though the metric measurements may optionally also appear). In September 2007 the European Commission ruled that
3471-507: The UK, road safety policy is part of transport policy. "Transport 2010; The 10 Year Plan" states that the basic principle is that "people travel safely and feel secure whether they are on foot or bicycle, in a car, on a train, or bus, at sea or on a plane". The UK has a road network totalling about 262,300 miles (422,100 km) of paved roads—246,500 miles (396,700 km) in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) and 15,800 miles (25,500 km) in Northern Ireland. Responsibility for
3560-923: The United Kingdom would never be required by them to convert signs to metric. The signage system currently in use was developed in the late 1950s and the early 1960s by the Anderson Committee, which established the motorway signing system, and by the Worboys Committee , which reformed signing for existing all-purpose (non-motorway) roads. It was introduced in 1965 and is governed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions . Signs may be of an informative, warning or instructional nature. Instructional signs are generally circular, warnings are triangular and informative signs are rectangular or square. Motorway informative signs use white text on
3649-588: The analysis, the A61 between Barnsley and Wakefield was found to be the most dangerous road in Britain. Between 2003 and 2006, the most improved safety record was for the A453 from the A38 to Tamworth in Staffordshire . This rural single carriageway saw an 88 per cent drop in the number of fatal or serious collisions in the last six years, taking it from a medium risk road to one of
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3738-427: The appointment of enclosure commissioners. Commissioners were given authorisation to replace old roads and country lanes with new roads that were wider and straighter than those they replaced. Straight roads of early origin, if not Roman were probably enclosure roads. They were established in the period between 1750 and 1850. The high cost of tolls, on the turnpikes, caused social unrest in Wales . A protest against
3827-483: The canal company was the hill at Kidsgrove , through which a tunnel was being dug. Up until 1777, pots had to be carried on the short journey from Etruria, over the top of Kidsgrove Hill, and to the other side, where the canal had been constructed to Preston Brook. On 15 January 1847 the Trent and Mersey Canal was acquired by the North Staffordshire Railway Company (NSR). This was done to stifle
3916-443: The canal emerges in the outskirts of Stoke-on-Trent , and is soon in the middle of the city and then at Etruria , and the junction with the Caldon Canal . Leaving Etruria, the canal is soon back in open country. It is now in the upper valley of the River Trent , which the canal follows until the river becomes navigable and the canal is no longer needed. The next sizeable place is the market town of Stone . After more countryside,
4005-523: The canal makes an end-on junction with the Bridgewater Canal within Preston Brook Tunnel, from which one can access Runcorn (but no longer the Mersey or Ship Canal) in one direction and Manchester (with its many canal links) in the other direction. From the junction with the Bridgewater Canal, the T&M travels south through Preston Brook Tunnel (one-way operation, alternating each half-hour) and two smaller tunnels at Saltersford (since 2008 also one-way operation, alternating each half-hour), and Barnton to
4094-516: The canal reaches Great Haywood Junction and the towpath bridge across the junction with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal , which heads south to skirt Wolverhampton and join with the River Severn at Stourport-on-Severn , thus connecting the Mersey with the Severn. The next event is a right-angle bend, of no apparent significance from the boat, but this is where the canal (and the Trent itself) changes its basic direction from south-east to north-east (heading towards Nottingham). Very near
4183-462: The canal was completed, including more than 70 locks and five tunnels , with the company headquarters in Stone . The first known idea to build a canal between the River Mersey and the River Trent was put forward in 1755, though no action was taken at that time. In 1760, Lord Gower , a local businessman and brother-in-law of the Duke of Bridgewater , drew up a plan for the Trent and Mersey Canal. If his plan had gone ahead, this would have been
4272-412: The destruction of streets and businesses within Stoke's town centre, as well as the excavation of a mass grave of the victims of a 17th-century cholera epidemic . This final section was named Queensway, and on its completion the whole route became the A500. The route remained unchanged until the 1980s when the Hanford Roundabout junction had a flyover built, as this was a major bottleneck for both
4361-443: The distance to Preston Brook and Shardlow , Derwent Mouth is about 1 mile (1.6 km) beyond Shardlow. The plan of a canal connection from the Mersey to the Trent ("The Grand Trunk") came from canal engineer James Brindley . It was authorised by an act of Parliament , the Trent and Mersey Canal Act 1766 ( 6 Geo. 3 . c. 96) and the first sod was cut by Josiah Wedgwood in July that year at Brownhills, Burslem . In 1777,
4450-580: The end of the Turnpike trusts , roads have been funded from taxation. Two new vehicle duties were introduced—the locomotive duty and the trade cart duty in the 1888 budget . Since 1910, the proceeds of road vehicle excise duties were dedicated to fund the building and maintenance of the road system. From 1920 to 1937, most roads in the United Kingdom were funded from the Road Fund using taxes raised from fuel duty and Vehicle Excise Duty . Since 1937, roads have been funded from general taxation with all motoring duties, including VAT , being paid directly to
4539-460: The final 500m of the eastbound single carriageway between Weston and Junction 16 of the M6 was upgraded. This included resignalling works on the roundabout in order to relieve congestion at the roundabout. The road is the primary access route for traffic to and from almost all areas of Stoke-on-Trent. Starting to the east of Nantwich on the Nantwich bypass the dual carriageway Shavington bypass running north of Hough and Shavington . Returning to
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#17328584403214628-475: The final section of the original route being completed similar to the original plans in 2006. As a trunk road , the section between junction 15 and 16 of the M6 is maintained by the Highways Agency whilst the section past junction 16 is maintained by Cheshire East council. In 2004, the road was stated as carrying 60,000 vehicles a day through Stoke. It is known locally as the "D-Road" or "Potteries D-Road", after its configuration. The originally planned route of
4717-415: The first modern canal constructed in England. James Brindley , the engineer behind many of the canals in England, did his first canal work on the Trent and Mersey, though his first job in charge of construction was on the Bridgewater Canal . In 1761, Josiah Wedgwood showed an interest in the construction of a canal through Stoke-on-Trent, the location of his Wedgwood pottery, as his business depended on
4806-501: The former A52 section. This was built to dual carriageway standards with provision for further junctions to new development sites. Traffic continued to rise to the point where major congestion was experienced on the central section. Work began on 16 February 2004 on the A500 Pathfinder Project to replace the final two roundabouts in Stoke with underpasses. The Highways Agency defined the pathfinder project as involving "a new form of contract and co-operative working methods to deliver
4895-445: The help of two of his friends, Thomas Bentley and Erasmus Darwin . John Gilbert 's plan for the "Grand Trunk" canal met opposition at the eastern end where, in Burton on Trent, the locals objected to the canal passing parallel to the upper Trent navigation. In 1764, Wedgwood managed to convince Gilbert to include the Potteries in his route. In 1766, Gilbert's plan was authorised by an Act of Parliament. Later that year, "[o]n July 26th
4984-535: The information given on the co-sited surveyors' marker post which, since the 1960s, have reported distances on such roads in kilometres from a datum—usually the start of the road, or the planned start-point of the road. Numbered roads in the UK are signed as M (Motorway), A, or B roads (legal "classification" varies between countries), as well as various categories of more minor roads: for internal purposes, local authorities may also use C, D and U (the letter standing for "Unclassified"); use of C and U numbers on signs
5073-451: The largest inland waterway marina in the United Kingdom, and then through wide locks (the first being at Stenson ) to Shardlow and finally Derwent Mouth . It is not far from Derwent Mouth, via the River Trent, to Trentlock , the four-way junction with the Erewash Canal (dead end at Great Northern Basin, formerly a link with the Cromford Canal ), Cranfleet Cut (bypassing Thrumpton Weir to continue navigation towards Nottingham ) and
5162-452: The major roads. After complaints about the first tram companies damaging the road surface, Parliament introduced the Tramways Act 1870 ( 33 & 34 Vict. c. 78), making tram companies responsible for the maintenance of the shared surface of the tramway and several feet either side, as a condition of being granted a licence. This was a popular move as maintenance was removed from the public purse. The local authority could also purchase
5251-469: The middle of the former Wolstanton Colliery before running east of Stoke's town centre. Passing through the newest section in a cutting it emerges south of Stoke alongside the site of the Victoria Ground . Turning west it passes the Bet365 Stadium before leaving the urban area at Hanford, south of Trent Vale . It then runs through a cutting before meeting the M6 at junction 15. Download coordinates as: Primary status The United Kingdom has
5340-426: The national roads programme resulted in the suspension of that scheme however. In 1997 the A50 was rerouted through Stoke-on-Trent to meet the A500 at Sideway, where a new grade separated roundabout was constructed. On the approach to Hough was a narrow single lane bridge which was added to with a Bailey bridge in 1993. In September 2003, the Shavington bypass opened to reroute the road away from three villages on
5429-463: The network, until around 180 AD when the known network was complete. Few Roman roads extended into Scotland due to their inability to subjugate the local population. Part of the Scottish Lowlands came under Roman control in 142 AD, and the Antonine Wall was constructed on the northern boundary. However, the Roman legions withdrew in 164 AD to their former northern boundary, Hadrian's Wall . The primary function of Roman roads
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#17328584403215518-430: The newly constructed M6 to the city. Businesses in the area wanted an easier route to get their goods out of the area. As early as 1961 the route of the road scheme – already known as the "Potteries D Road" – was included in the Staffordshire Development Plan for planning purposes. The A500 was initially built from the M6 at junction 16 to the A34 road at Talke as part of the motorway construction, opening in 1962. At
5607-415: The opposition of the Canal Company to the creation of the Railway Company. In particular, the NSR had plans for a railway from Stoke-on-Trent to Liverpool, however, this line was abandoned because of opposition from other rail interests. In 1891 the North Staffordshire Railway Company obtained statutory powers to raise £400,000 (equivalent to £55,180,000 in 2023) to widen and improve the canal. By 1893
5696-408: The road joins junctions 15 and 16 of the M6 in a 'D' shape, and was represented in the logo used by the Corportion of Stoke when promoting the road. D is also the Roman numeral representing the number 500, the number assigned to the completed road. By the 1960s, traffic congestion was a major problem in Stoke-on-Trent , and journeys across the area sometimes took hours. There was no connection from
5785-465: The road network differs between trunk and non-trunk routes. Trunk roads, which are the most important roads, are administered by National Highways in England , Transport Scotland in Scotland , the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent , and South Wales Trunk Road Agent in Wales . England's 4,300 miles (6,920 km) of trunk roads account for 33% of all road travel and 50% of lorry travel. Scotland has 2,174 miles (3,499 km) (about 7% of
5874-636: The road network is shared between local authorities , the devolved administrations of Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland , and National Highways in England. Certain aspects of the legal framework remain under the control of the United Kingdom parliament . Although some roads have much older origins, the network was heavily developed from the 1950s to the mid-1990s to meet the demands of modern traffic. Construction of roads has become increasingly problematic with various opposition groups such as direct action campaigns and environmentalists . There are various ongoing and planned road building projects . In
5963-431: The road opened on Tuesday 26 September 2006, with the southbound traffic in the morning and northbound traffic in the afternoon. Several months of additional work was needed to finalise traffic light operations, gardens, and other miscellaneous tasks. In February 2009, it was announced that the single carriageway Nantwich bypass would be re-numbered as the A51 in a bid to relieve the town centre of traffic. In 2015,
6052-403: The roof with their feet. This was a physically demanding and slow process and created major delays, so civil engineer Thomas Telford was commissioned to provide a second, wider, parallel tunnel with a towpath. This 2,926-yard-long (2,676 m) tunnel was opened in 1827. In the 1900s, the Brindley tunnel was closed because of severe subsidence, but the Telford Tunnel – although also prone to
6141-425: The safe and smooth transport of his pots. Pots transported by road were liable to be damaged and broken, and a canal near to his factory would provide fast and safe transport for his wares. Wedgwood's plan was not to connect the two rivers by canal, but to connect the potteries to the River Mersey. There was much debate about possible routes that a canal could take. Coal merchants in Liverpool felt threatened about
6230-413: The safest. According to the Foundation, this has been achieved by introducing traffic lights, speed limit reductions and village pedestrian facilities. Research undertaken in July 2008 has shown that investment in a safe road infrastructure programme could yield a one-third reduction in road deaths, saving as much as £6 billion per year. A consortium of 13 major road safety stakeholders have formed
6319-443: The same problems – remains in use, and is the fourth-longest navigable canal tunnel in the United Kingdom . Just north of Harecastle Tunnel, the T&M features a 'flyover' junction. The Hall Green Branch leaves the T&M mainline (which runs east–west here) on the south side, but then crosses over the main line and travels a short distance north to join the Macclesfield Canal at Hall Green Stop lock (some guides do not refer to
6408-542: The section between the Anderton Boat Lift and Middlewich had been widened and deepened to allow an increase in the maximum tonnage of boats using this section to be increased from 30 tons to 60 tons. The basin at Middlewich was widened from 16 feet (4.9 m) to 50 feet (15 m) with the erection of a concrete wall and an extension to the wharfage. The canal was dredged by a Priestman -type steam dredger which removed between 80,000 and 100,000 tons. The Grand Trunk
6497-587: The southern end, a dual carriageway was constructed from junction 15 of the M6 to the A34 near Trentham , given the number A5006, and opened at the same time. The northern section of the road was then subsequently extended from Talke to the A53 road . The final section from the A34 in the south to the A53 junction was built between 1974 and 1977. The two middle junctions were to be grade separated , but due to financial constraints they were built as roundabouts . Construction involved
6586-578: The start of the programmes. In 1930, responsibility for all roads was vested in the county councils. The first inter-urban new road built in the UK was the East Lancs Road , which was built between 1929 and 1934 at a cost of £8 million. For the first time since the Roman occupation , the Ministry of Transport took direct control of the core road network through the Trunk Roads Act 1936 . During
6675-511: The tolls that became known as the Rebecca Riots took place, in Wales, between 1839 and 1843. The riots ceased after some ringleaders, John Jones (Shoni Sguborfawr) and David Davies (Dai'r Cantwr) , were convicted and transported to Australia . Following several attempts at reform, detrunking began in the 1860s with the last trust ending in 1885. The protests prompted several reforms, including
6764-545: The total roads in Scotland), accounting for 35% of all road journeys and over 50% of lorry movements. Wales has 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of trunk roads. In London , Transport for London is responsible for all trunk roads and other major roads, which are part of the Transport for London Road Network . All other roads are the responsibility of the relevant county council or unitary authority . In Northern Ireland , DfI Roads
6853-502: The type of road. In a built-up area (usually indicated by street lights), unless signs indicate otherwise, a limit of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) applies. Other limits are shown in the table. For a road to be classed as a dual carriageway, the two directions of traffic flow must be physically separated by a central reservation . Enforcement of UK road speed limits increasingly uses speed guns , automated in-vehicle systems and automated roadside traffic cameras . After
6942-452: The urgency of the problem of dealing with the expected massive growth in road traffic, the damage it could cause to our towns and cities if unplanned, the eventual need for demand management but with implications of restricting the mass of the population from doing something they didn't see as wrong, and of the inevitable need for a change in policy as the social costs increased. Trent and Mersey Canal The Trent and Mersey Canal
7031-456: The use of rivers as a system of transportation. Many of these roadways were developed as a result of trading of goods and services, such as wool , sheep , cattle and salt . They linked together market towns , towns with bridges , harbours and ports. Other roadways developed to meet the needs of pilgrims visiting shrines , such as Walsingham , and for transporting corpses from isolated communities to local graveyards . The Icknield Way
7120-452: The whole line at a later date at a discount, or force the tram company to reinstate the road. The Roads Act 1920 brought in the Road Fund , with the government receiving revenue from excise duty on road vehicles and from the sale of licences for horse-drawn carriages and driving licences . As road traffic began to grow, the condition of the road network became an issue, with most of it in
7209-675: The wide locks can accommodate boats 14 feet (4.3 m) wide, or two narrowboats next to each other. The Trent and Mersey Canal (T&M) was built to link the River Trent at Derwent Mouth in Derbyshire to the River Mersey , and thereby provide an inland route between the major ports of Hull and Liverpool . The Mersey connection is made via the Bridgewater Canal , which it joins at Preston Brook in Cheshire . Although mileposts measure
7298-523: Was a part of a larger scheme of James Brindley 's to link the four main rivers of England ( Trent , Mersey , Severn and Thames ) in a project known as the "Grand Cross". The Trent and Mersey Canal provided the northwestern arm of the cross (to the Mersey), and the northeastern arm (to the Trent). It also provided the central hub of the cross, between Great Haywood , and Fradley Junctions. The southwestern arm, to
7387-765: Was authorised by the Highways Act 1663 for a section of the Great North Road in Hertfordshire . The first turnpike trust was established by the Parliament of England through a Turnpike Act in 1706. Scotland continued to maintain its own Parliament until the Acts of Union 1707 , when the two parliaments merged to form the Kingdom of Great Britain . In the second half of the 18th century, turnpike trusts became numerous, with trusts also set up in Wales and lowland Scotland. This expansion
7476-558: Was declared a linear Conservation Area . The towpath was upgraded in the 1990s and forms part of the National Cycle Network ( Route 5 ). A charity, the Burslem Port Trust , has been established to renovate the short Burslem arm of the Trent & Mersey Canal which will extend 3/8 mile into Burslem. The route is conveniently divided into a northern and southern section by the Harecastle Tunnel . The northern end of
7565-408: Was facilitated by the ability to use mortgages to fund the work. By 1821 there were 18,000 miles (29,000 km) of turnpike roads in England, with 1,000 trusts by 1845. Also, in England, the process of land owners enclosing land had been happening since medieval times. During the 17th century a practice developed of obtaining authorisation by Act of Parliament . The statutory process included
7654-557: Was one of four highways that appear in the literature of the 1130s. Henry of Huntingdon wrote that the Ermine Street , Fosse Way , Watling Street and Icknield Way had been constructed by royal authority. The first legislated control in England was introduced under the Highways Act 1555 . Road rates were introduced in England and Wales in the 17th century. The first turnpike road, whereby travellers paid tolls to be used for road upkeep,
7743-461: Was recruited from areas of high unemployment and adjoining areas, and men with dependants. Two unemployment relief programmes were run, the first from 1920 to 1925 and the second from 1929 to 1930. Government grants were limited to trunk roads and bridges, with the money coming from the Road Fund. Some 500 miles (800 km) of bypasses were built by 1935, about half of what was originally planned at
7832-542: Was then the only operational boat-lift in the United Kingdom until the construction of the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland . Another major feature is the Harecastle Tunnel , near Kidsgrove in the city of Stoke-on-Trent , north Staffordshire . There are actually two tunnels; the first was built by Brindley and was 2,880 yards (2,630 m) long, and boats were moved through by men lying on their backs and pushing against
7921-461: Was to allow the rapid movement of troops and military supplies, but it also provided vital infrastructure for trade and the transport of goods. The roads were paved, a first for the island, and could carry heavy goods in all weathers. Following the Roman withdrawal from Britain, road maintenance became a very ad hoc activity. A network of roadways was developed in Britain in the Middle Ages to supplement
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