A452 road
Encyclopedia
The A452 is a road in England
, which runs from Leamington Spa
, Warwickshire
to Brownhills
in Staffordshire
. It is the major link to the M6 motorway
for both Leamington and Warwick
in addition to serving as Leamington's link to the M40 motorway
and to Coventry
.
Between Brownhills and Kenilworth it follows the line of the ancient drover's road called the Welsh Road
, which probably has pre-Roman origins.
with two separate spurs running to junctions 13 (southbound) and 14 (northbound) of the M40 motorway
. These meet and the road heads into Leamington along Europa Way, a road newly created at the same time as the M40 extension in that area. The road into Leamington is signed as a primary route but most maps show it as non-primary. After running up the western edge of the town centre, the road crosses the A425
and then heads north. Just before Kenilworth
, the A452 crosses the A46
, the major dual carriageway linking the M40 to Coventry
. The A452/A46 is thus the principal route between Leamington and Coventry.
Beyond the A46 junction, the A452 passes through Kenilworth and then on towards Balsall Common
, although the signed route to Balsall curiously deviates from the official A452 at this point, instead directing drivers along the B4103 past Kenilworth Castle
. Halfway between Kenilworth and Balsall Common the road meets the A4177 from Warwick
.
Exiting north from Balsall Common, the road becomes a dual carriageway. It then arrives at a major roundabout known as Stonebridge, where it crosses the A45
between Coventry and Birmingham
. In recent years a flyover
for the A45 has been built to alleviate traffic congestion on the roundabout. The A452 continues as dual carriageway for a short while, but then exits with the dual carriageway section continuing as the A446
up to M6 motorway
, junction 4.
Having left the main dual carriageway the A452 runs through Chelmsley Wood
, right on the eastern edge of the Birmingham conurbation and then loops around the outside of Castle Bromwich
, running parallel and adjacent to the M6 at that point. It then crosses the M6 (at junction 5), before heading northeast through the semi-urban areas of Streetly
and Shire Oak
, between Walsall
and Sutton Coldfield
, before terminating at a junction with the A5 in Brownhills
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, which runs from Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
to Brownhills
Brownhills
Brownhills is a town in the West Midlands, England. Located on the edge of Cannock Chase near the large artificial lake Chasewater, it is north-east of Walsall and a similar distance south-west of Lichfield. It is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall and the Aldridge-Brownhills...
in Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
. It is the major link to the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
for both Leamington and Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
in addition to serving as Leamington's link to the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
and to Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
.
Between Brownhills and Kenilworth it follows the line of the ancient drover's road called the Welsh Road
Welsh Road
The Welsh Road, also known as the Welshman's Road or the Bullock Road, was a drover's road running through the English Midlands, used for transporting cattle from North Wales to the markets of South East England....
, which probably has pre-Roman origins.
Route
The A452 starts south of Leamington SpaLeamington Spa
Royal Leamington Spa, commonly known as Leamington Spa or Leamington or Leam to locals, is a spa town in central Warwickshire, England. Formerly known as Leamington Priors, its expansion began following the popularisation of the medicinal qualities of its water by Dr Kerr in 1784, and by Dr Lambe...
with two separate spurs running to junctions 13 (southbound) and 14 (northbound) of the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
. These meet and the road heads into Leamington along Europa Way, a road newly created at the same time as the M40 extension in that area. The road into Leamington is signed as a primary route but most maps show it as non-primary. After running up the western edge of the town centre, the road crosses the A425
A425 road
The A425 road is an A road in England, which runs between Daventry in Northamptonshire and Warwick in Warwickshire via Staverton, Lower Shuckburgh and Southam.At Southam it links with the A426 as well as the A423....
and then heads north. Just before Kenilworth
Kenilworth
Kenilworth is a town in central Warwickshire, England. In 2001 the town had a population of 22,582 . It is situated south of Coventry, north of Warwick and northwest of London....
, the A452 crosses the A46
A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
, the major dual carriageway linking the M40 to Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
. The A452/A46 is thus the principal route between Leamington and Coventry.
Beyond the A46 junction, the A452 passes through Kenilworth and then on towards Balsall Common
Balsall Common
Balsall Common is a large village and one of the larger rural settlements in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, situated west of Coventry and to the east of Birmingham, to which it serves as a commuter village in the West Midlands. It is currently undergoing gradual suburbanisation and is...
, although the signed route to Balsall curiously deviates from the official A452 at this point, instead directing drivers along the B4103 past Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle is located in the town of the same name in Warwickshire, England. Constructed from Norman through to Tudor times, the castle has been described by architectural historian Anthony Emery as "the finest surviving example of a semi-royal palace of the later middle ages, significant...
. Halfway between Kenilworth and Balsall Common the road meets the A4177 from Warwick
Warwick
Warwick is the county town of Warwickshire, England. The town lies upon the River Avon, south of Coventry and just west of Leamington Spa and Whitnash with which it is conjoined. As of the 2001 United Kingdom census, it had a population of 23,350...
.
Exiting north from Balsall Common, the road becomes a dual carriageway. It then arrives at a major roundabout known as Stonebridge, where it crosses the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
between Coventry and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. In recent years a flyover
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
for the A45 has been built to alleviate traffic congestion on the roundabout. The A452 continues as dual carriageway for a short while, but then exits with the dual carriageway section continuing as the A446
A446 road
The A446 is an A road in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme.-History:The 1922 route of the A446 was Leamington - Kenilworth - Coleshill - Lichfield, which over the years has been curtailed to its current route.-Stonebridge - Bassets Pole:...
up to M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
, junction 4.
Having left the main dual carriageway the A452 runs through Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
, right on the eastern edge of the Birmingham conurbation and then loops around the outside of Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
, running parallel and adjacent to the M6 at that point. It then crosses the M6 (at junction 5), before heading northeast through the semi-urban areas of Streetly
Streetly
Streetly is an area which lies mainly in the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall, England around 8 miles to the north of Birmingham. Streetly lies on the border of Birmingham and Walsall and is part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is adjacent to Aldridge, Sutton Coldfield, Great Barr and Four...
and Shire Oak
Shire oak
The English folk legend of a shire oak, under the spreading limbs of which the ancient Anglo-Saxon open-air folkmoots and things were held, is a feature of Merry England:...
, between Walsall
Walsall
Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...
and Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield
Sutton Coldfield is a suburb of Birmingham, in the West Midlands of England. Sutton is located about from central Birmingham but has borders with Erdington and Kingstanding. Sutton is in the northeast of Birmingham, with a population of 105,000 recorded in the 2001 census...
, before terminating at a junction with the A5 in Brownhills
Brownhills
Brownhills is a town in the West Midlands, England. Located on the edge of Cannock Chase near the large artificial lake Chasewater, it is north-east of Walsall and a similar distance south-west of Lichfield. It is part of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall and the Aldridge-Brownhills...
.