A453 road
Encyclopedia
The A453 road was formerly the main trunk road
connecting the English cities of Nottingham
and Birmingham
. However, the middle section of this mainly single-carriageway road has largely been downgraded to B roads or unclassified roads following the construction of the parallel M42
-A42
link around 1990. The M42 was originally meant to pass further north than it does, and to join the M1 at Sandiacre
in Derbyshire
. The M42/A42 does not enter Derbyshire, but instead joins the M1 closer to the A453 junction at Kegworth
. The A42 shadows the former A453 from Appleby Magna
to Castle Donington
. The road historically connected the East Midlands
with the West Midlands
.
to the A452 road
, and on through Sutton Coldfield
. It starts at the point where the A34 crosses the Chase Line
at Perry Barr railway station
. On the right hand side is Birmingham City University
and the road passes through Witton
. As Aldridge Road it becomes a dual carriage-way and crosses the River Tame
. To the left is Perry Park
, and it passes under the M6, becoming College Road. It crosses the Tame Valley Canal
, and there is a left turn for the dual-carriageway Kingstanding Road (B4138) in Perry, the former Roman road
Ryknild Street
. In Upper Witton there is a roundabout and Perry Barr fire station is on the left next to Perry Common library, with The College High School on the right, and there is a crossroads, with the left turn for Kingstanding
. There is another roundabout, with a left turn for Kingstanding, and the road passes through Perry Common
. On the right is St Mary's College, Oscott, a Roman Catholic seminary (Archdiocese of Birmingham), and the road meets Chester Road (A452) at busy crossroads.
The road continues after the crossroads as College Road, but becomes Jockey Road where it meets the B4149 from the left (for Kingstanding, a large Tesco, and Pheasey
) at a roundabout at New Oscott
. In Boldmere
, there is a right turn for Boldmere Road (B4142) next to the Sutton Park. It passes St Nicholas catholic church on the right and crosses the Cross-City Line with Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
on the left. Near St Peter's church in Maney
and the Horse and Jockey it runs concurrently
with the A5127
through the town centre of Sutton Coldfield, splitting in two at a roundabout, and passing Sutton Coldfield railway station
. It passes over and under two railway lines, then passes the police and fire station, with Birmingham Metropolitan College
(former Sutton Coldfield College) and Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
on the right.
At the Tamworth Road junction at Doe Bank
, it passes under a 15ft 6in low railway bridge, under the Cross-City Line. It passes a crossroads, with Moorhouse Golf Club to the left, and Whitehouse Common Road (B4148) to the right. It crosses the M6 Toll
, then Collets Brook, where it enters Staffordshire
, and the district of Lichfield
at Hints. When the A38 was dualled, the A453 was moved to the west, to meet at the Bassetts Pole
roundabout. This was not only the meeting point of the Birmingham to Nottingham road, and the A38 (former A446), but is also the meeting point of Warwickshire
, Staffordshire
and the former West Midlands
county. At the roundabout is the Bassetts Pole Harvester
, and a McDonald's
. As a dual-carriageway trunk road at Carroway Head, it meets the B4151 from the left (for Roughley
), and becomes the parish boundary between Hints and Drayton Bassett
, and a single carriageway, as Sutton Road. It is only a trunk road for 3 miles (4.8 km) until it meets the A5, after crossing the Heart of England Way
, Bourne Brook
and the former A5, now the B5404, at Mile Oak, Fazeley
.
As the non-trunk Bonehill Road it crosses the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
, where it enters the district of Tamworth. It meets a roundabout for a garden centre to the left, and the next one for the Jolly Sailor retail park, to the right, with Tamworth Sainsbury's. It meets the A51 at a large roundabout, and continues as the dual-carriageway Riverdrive, concurrent with the A51, meeting the A4091 (for Drayton Manor Theme Park
) to the south, then crosses the River Tame
. The A51
leaves to the south at a large roundabout-shaped junction, partly Ankerdrive and Bolebridge Street, known as The Egg
which straddles the River Anker
, and passes the Tamworth Odeon
. It continues northwards as Saxondrive, an inner ring road for Tamworth, with a roundabout for Tamworth railway station
then continues westwards as Offadrive to meet its former route through Tamworth (partly the B5493), where it meets the A513 near the bridge over the West Coast Main Line
. King Offa
was the King of Mercia
, a Saxon kingdom, with its capital as Tamworth. Previously the A453 continued along Bonehill Road then across Lady Bridge and along Aldergate in Tamworth town centre.
to the M1 motorway
. Formerly the road was north of its current route, running through Castle Donington
, Long Eaton
and Beeston
. The section through Castle Donington is now unclassified south of the A50, north of the A50 it is the B6540, and from Long Eaton to Nottingham is part of the A6005.
. From the A42, the downgraded section of the proposed M42, it follows Moor Lane as a non-trunk road. This route was formerly the A447, and continued southwards to Swannington
, its present terminus. The A447 also went through Tonge. It meets the former route of the A453 at a T junction, which it follows for one mile. It passes through Isley Walton (Isley cum Langley
) as Walton Hill, where there is a left turn for the Donington Park Farmhouse Hotel. The Donington Park
motor circuit is close to the north and there is a left turn for Castle Donington
, which is the former route. The road is dual carriageway for a short section and meets a roundabout. The route follows the southern edge of East Midlands Airport, along the former B5400 to Charnock Hill. There is are two right turns for Diseworth
, and at Long Whatton and Diseworth it leaves the former B road (which would have passed through one of the terminal buildings, across the airfield, to Kegworth), and continues on a new section of road when the airfield was extended from the former RAF Castle Donington in the mid-1960s. As Ashby Road, there is a left turn for the Thistle
EMA, then a roundabout for the Pegasus Business Park, home of Central Networks East (former East Midlands Electricity
, now owned by PPL WEM Holdings
since April 2011). Also off the roundabout is the Holiday Inn Express
EMA and the Premier Inn EMA.
, which was built when the A42 opened. Later the Donington Park services
were added in July 1999. It runs parallel to the motorway to M1 junction 24, to link to the motorway and the A50 road
. On the opposite side of the M1 from Molehill Farm, on 8 January 1989, the Kegworth air disaster
took place. There is a right turn (Ashby Road) for Kegworth, which is the continuation of the former B road route across the airfield. This section of the A453 from junction 24 of the M1 to the airport was opened as the £250,000 Kegworth Link Road on 3 September 1975 by a local county councillor, Mrs Kathleen Wildsmith. The road was built by Galliford and Sons
. Previously traffic went straight through Kegworth. There are plans to bypass Kegworth from the south, to join the A453 roundabout at the Donington Park services roundabout.
The A453 then continues as a trunk road from the M1 for the remaining 11 miles (17.7 km) to Nottingham, with most of its traffic originating from the A50, and the rest from the A42. This section of the road follows the route of the former B679. A new section of road was built from junction 24 of the M1 to Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station
(which opened in 1968), as the (late 1960s) £222,000 section, the Link road from Ratcliffe Power Station to M1. This became the A648 when completed in 1970, extending along the present B679 to West Bridgford
, then the A453 in 1978, when it was diverted from its Long Eaton route. Between 1922-53 the A648 was the road from Brighouse
to Denholme
, now the A644. At Ratcliffe-on-Soar
it crosses the River Soar
, where the road enters Nottinghamshire
and the district of Rushcliffe
. It crosses the Midland Main Line
, and there is a left turn for East Midlands Parkway railway station
, which opened in January 2009. The railway from here to Nottingham railway station directly shadows the A453, to the north. There is a left turn for the power station, owned by E.ON UK
and Thrumpton
. After Thrumpton the road follows a former unclassified road (Green Street to Clifton). There are two left turns for Barton in Fabis
. The road ascends the top of Brands Hill and Mill Hill, where it enters the City of Nottingham as Barton Lane.
It meets Nottingham Road from Gotham
(the former main road to Kegworth, the B679) at a roundabout, with the Crusader Hungry Horse
(former Hardys & Hansons) on the left. It passes the Man of Trent on the right. It passes Clifton police station on the right, then the Clifton campus of Nottingham Trent University
on the left, as Clifton Lane. The road here became a dual carriageway in the early 1970s when the Clifton Bridge was dualled, with an exit for the B679 (the former route), for West Bridgford
, and meets the A52
at an interchange. The interchange was built when the bridge was dualled in 1972. It crosses the Trent concurrently with the A52, then exits to the east as Queens Drive where it is no longer a trunk road. This section of road opened as the B679 when the first Clifton Bridge was opened in May 1958. It later became the A6019 (now a shorter road next to the train station), and took a course slightly to the east. The road was dualled in the late 1970s.
To the left, on the side of the Trent
, is the Restaurant Sat Bains
, Nottingham's only Michelin-starred
restaurant. The Trent Valley Way crosses at the bridge. The main road previously into Nottingham from the south was the B680 (Queens Walk). There is a Park and Ride to the south, the Queen's Drive Retail Park to the north, and the Pork Farms
factory is to the left. The road leaves the side of the River Trent, and heads north, where it widens and passes Landmark House of Experian
, to the left, at the junction of Enterprise Way (former King's Meadow Road, for Castle Marina Park, the headquarters of Speedo International Limited and the ng2 business park). Nottingham Queens Drive Homebase
is on the left and there is a left turn for Castle Bridge Road (for Castle Boulevard Sainsbury's, and the Castle Marina Retail Park), and it passes the Riverside Retail Park on the left. The road widens again, and at traffic lights Waterway Street West (A6019) leaves to the right, which is the direction for through-traffic. The road ahead, the terminus of the A453, crosses the railway line, then the Nottingham Canal
, passing HMRC on the left, and meets Castle Boulevard (the former A453, now A6005) next to the Nottingham Post.
Clifton campus right the way back to the Ratcliffe on Soar power station adding around 10 to 15 minutes to the journey time along this route. The problems are worse in term time where the light controlled pedestrian crossing at the university can stop traffic so often that the long tailbacks described are caused. There is a marked difference to the levels of traffic on this section outside of term time.
In March 2006 the Highways Agency
announced plans for a £90m upgrade to this road including the construction of a dual-carriageway section between the M1 and the Crusader Public House island (near Clifton) to ease traffic congestion. Draft Orders and an Environmental Statement for the scheme were published on 29 January 2009, with the forecast cost rising to £168m. Construction would have started in 2010, with the road open to traffic in 2012/13. However, due to national fiscal constraints, the £164 million road project was postponed in May 2010.
The extension of the Nottingham tram (Nottingham Express Transit
) to Clifton, will include the Clifton Park & Ride site off the A453, where the tram will terminate.
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
connecting the English cities of Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
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...
. However, the middle section of this mainly single-carriageway road has largely been downgraded to B roads or unclassified roads following the construction of the parallel M42
M42 motorway
The M42 motorway is a major road in England. The motorway runs north east from Bromsgrove in Worcestershire to just south west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch in Leicestershire, passing Redditch, Solihull, the National Exhibition Centre and Tamworth on the way. The section between the M40 and M6 road forms...
-A42
A42 road
The A42 is a major trunk road in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. It links junction 23A of the M1 motorway to junction 11 of the M42 motorway. The A42 is in effect a continuation of the M42, and its junctions are numbered accordingly....
link around 1990. The M42 was originally meant to pass further north than it does, and to join the M1 at Sandiacre
Sandiacre
Sandiacre is a town in the Borough of Erewash in Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England adjoining the border with Nottinghamshire....
in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. The M42/A42 does not enter Derbyshire, but instead joins the M1 closer to the A453 junction at Kegworth
Kegworth
Kegworth is a large village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England....
. The A42 shadows the former A453 from Appleby Magna
Appleby Magna
Appleby Magna is a village and civil parish in the district of North West Leicestershire, England.The civil parish, as well as Appleby Magna, includes the small Hamlet of Appleby Parva and the Villages of Norton-Juxta-Twycross, Snarestone and Swepstone...
to Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
. The road historically connected the East Midlands
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of the regions of England, consisting of most of the eastern half of the traditional region of the Midlands. It encompasses the combined area of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Northamptonshire and most of Lincolnshire...
with the West Midlands
West Midlands (region)
The West Midlands is an official region of England, covering the western half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It contains the second most populous British city, Birmingham, and the larger West Midlands conurbation, which includes the city of Wolverhampton and large towns of Dudley,...
.
Perry Barr to Tamworth
The southern stretch of the existing A453 runs as a non-trunk route from the A34 in north Birmingham under the M6 motorwayM6 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...
to the A452 road
A452 road
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....
, and on through 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...
. It starts at the point where the A34 crosses the Chase Line
Chase Line
The Chase Line is the railway line from Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Rugeley.-Overview:The line from Birmingham to Walsall has two alternative routes, both of which are electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
at Perry Barr railway station
Perry Barr railway station
Perry Barr Railway Station is a railway station in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England.Although rebuilt around the time of electrification in the 1960s, it stands on the site of the original Grand Junction Railway station of 1838, and so is the oldest station on its original site in the city, and one...
. On the right hand side is Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University
Birmingham City University is a British university in the city of Birmingham, England. It is the second largest of three universities in the city, the other two being the Aston University and University of Birmingham...
and the road passes through Witton
Witton, West Midlands
Witton is an inner city area in Birmingham, England, in the metropolitan county of the West Midlands. It was within the ancient parish of Aston in the Hemlingford hundred of the historic county of Warwickshire...
. As Aldridge Road it becomes a dual carriage-way and crosses the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
. To the left is Perry Park
Perry Park (Birmingham)
Perry Park is a park in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England, at .The park houses Alexander Stadium and Perry Reservoir , a small canal feeder reservoir for the Tame Valley Canal, and is bounded by the canal, the M6 motorway, the A34 and local roads....
, and it passes under the M6, becoming College Road. It crosses the Tame Valley Canal
Tame Valley Canal
The Tame Valley Canal is a relatively late canal in the West Midlands of England. It forms part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. It takes its name from the roughly-parallel River Tame.-Geography:...
, and there is a left turn for the dual-carriageway Kingstanding Road (B4138) in Perry, the former Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
Ryknild Street
Icknield Street
Icknield Street or Ryknild Street is a Roman road in Britain that runs from the Fosse Way at Bourton on the Water in Gloucestershire to Templeborough in South Yorkshire...
. In Upper Witton there is a roundabout and Perry Barr fire station is on the left next to Perry Common library, with The College High School on the right, and there is a crossroads, with the left turn for Kingstanding
Kingstanding
Kingstanding is an area in north Birmingham, England. It gives its name to a ward in the Erdington council constituency. Kingstanding ward includes the areas; Perry Common, St. Mary's College, Witton Lakes and parts of Kingstanding, Wyrley Birch and New Oscott...
. There is another roundabout, with a left turn for Kingstanding, and the road passes through Perry Common
Perry Common
Perry Common is an area of Kingstanding, in the constituency of Erdington, Birmingham, England.College High School is located in Perry Common as are the Hawthorn Shopping Centre on Hawthorn Road and Witton Lakes....
. On the right is St Mary's College, Oscott, a Roman Catholic seminary (Archdiocese of Birmingham), and the road meets Chester Road (A452) at busy crossroads.
The road continues after the crossroads as College Road, but becomes Jockey Road where it meets the B4149 from the left (for Kingstanding, a large Tesco, and Pheasey
Pheasey
Pheasey is a residential area of Great Barr in the West Midlands of England.It is situated in the east of the Metropolitan Borough of Walsall and is located near to the Sutton Coldfield district of Birmingham. Prior to 1974, it was part of Aldridge-Brownhills Urban District. The area was...
) at a roundabout at New Oscott
New Oscott
New Oscott is an area of Birmingham, England.It was named after the Oscott area of Birmingham, when St. Mary's College, the Roman Catholic seminary, moved from that site to the new one. The original then became known as Old Oscott....
. In Boldmere
Boldmere
Boldmere is a residential area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is bordered by New Oscott, Sutton Park, Wylde Green and Erdington, and is in the ward of Sutton Vesey.- Toponymy :...
, there is a right turn for Boldmere Road (B4142) next to the Sutton Park. It passes St Nicholas catholic church on the right and crosses the Cross-City Line with Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls
Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls is a state-funded selective grammar school and sixth form college for girls in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, West Midlands, England...
on the left. Near St Peter's church in Maney
Maney
Maney is an area of Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, England. It is situated close to the town centre of Sutton Coldfield and is also near Wylde Green and Walmley. The main thoroughfare is Birmingham Road, which runs through Maney.-Facilities:...
and the Horse and Jockey it runs concurrently
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with the A5127
A5127 road
The A5127 is a major road in England which runs between Birmingham and Lichfield, Staffordshire. For much of the route the road follows the old route of the A38 which has since been moved in order to by-pass places such as Erdington and Sutton Coldfield and form a relief road from Birmingham city...
through the town centre of Sutton Coldfield, splitting in two at a roundabout, and passing Sutton Coldfield railway station
Sutton Coldfield railway station
Sutton Coldfield railway station is the main railway station for the town of Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands. It is situated on the Redditch-Birmingham New Street-Lichfield Cross-City Line 7½ miles north east of Birmingham New Street....
. It passes over and under two railway lines, then passes the police and fire station, with Birmingham Metropolitan College
Birmingham Metropolitan College
Birmingham Metropolitan College is a further and higher education college with eight campuses distributed within Birmingham, England. The college was created in August 2009 as a result of the amalgamation of Matthew Boulton College and Sutton Coldfield College...
(former Sutton Coldfield College) and Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
Bishop Vesey's Grammar School is a selective state grammar school in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Founded in 1527, it is one of the oldest schools in the United Kingdom. The school was a day and boarding school until the 1880s, and retained a small number of boarders in the mid-20th century...
on the right.
At the Tamworth Road junction at Doe Bank
Doe Bank
Doe Bank is a small area of Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, England....
, it passes under a 15ft 6in low railway bridge, under the Cross-City Line. It passes a crossroads, with Moorhouse Golf Club to the left, and Whitehouse Common Road (B4148) to the right. It crosses the M6 Toll
M6 Toll
The M6 Toll , connects M6 Junction 4 at the NEC to M6 Junction 11A at Wolverhampton with of six-lane motorway. The weekday cash cost is £5.30 for a car and £10.60 for a HGV...
, then Collets Brook, where it enters 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...
, and the district of Lichfield
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
at Hints. When the A38 was dualled, the A453 was moved to the west, to meet at the Bassetts Pole
Bassetts Pole
Bassetts Pole is an area at the Staffordshire–West Midlands–Warwickshire Tripoint. There are no residences here, although the settlement of Middleton Heath is located just to the South West...
roundabout. This was not only the meeting point of the Birmingham to Nottingham road, and the A38 (former A446), but is also the meeting point of 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...
, 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...
and the former West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
county. At the roundabout is the Bassetts Pole Harvester
Harvester (restaurant)
Harvester Restaurants is a popular family farmhouse-style licensed restaurant chain with more than 170 outlets in the United Kingdom.-History:-Courage:...
, and a McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
. As a dual-carriageway trunk road at Carroway Head, it meets the B4151 from the left (for Roughley
Roughley
Roughley is a part of Sutton Coldfield, which is in Birmingham in the West Midlands. It is north of Sutton Coldfield close to Mere Green and Four Oaks.- Transport :...
), and becomes the parish boundary between Hints and Drayton Bassett
Drayton Bassett
Drayton Bassett is a village and civil parish in the District of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. Nearby are the town of Tamworth and Middleton Lakes RSPB reserve, formerly a gravel quarry known in part as Drayton Bassett Pits.It formerly had a manor....
, and a single carriageway, as Sutton Road. It is only a trunk road for 3 miles (4.8 km) until it meets the A5, after crossing the Heart of England Way
Heart of England Way
The Heart of England Way is a long distance walk of around through the Midlands of England. The walk starts from Milford Common on Cannock Chase and ends at Bourton on the Water in the Cotswolds passing through the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.The walk provides links...
, Bourne Brook
Bourne Brook
The Bourne Brook is a river in Staffordshire, England. The river flows north from its source near Aldridge, to the west and north of the village of Shenstone, then flows east past Weeford and Hints to its confluence with the River Tame near Fazeley....
and the former A5, now the B5404, at Mile Oak, Fazeley
Fazeley
Fazeley is a small town and civil parish in the District of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. Fazeley is located on the outskirts of Tamworth and the civil parish of Fazeley also includes Mile Oak and Bonehill....
.
As the non-trunk Bonehill Road it crosses the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal is a canal of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in the West Midlands of England. Its purpose was to provide a link between the Coventry Canal and Birmingham and thereby connect Birmingham to London via the Oxford Canal....
, where it enters the district of Tamworth. It meets a roundabout for a garden centre to the left, and the next one for the Jolly Sailor retail park, to the right, with Tamworth Sainsbury's. It meets the A51 at a large roundabout, and continues as the dual-carriageway Riverdrive, concurrent with the A51, meeting the A4091 (for Drayton Manor Theme Park
Drayton Manor Theme Park
Drayton Manor Theme Park is a theme park, resort & zoo in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor, near Tamworth in Staffordshire, England.Drayton Manor is best known because it is a theme park and zoo which attracts around 1.4 million people a year. The attraction has a wide selection of rides set...
) to the south, then crosses the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
. The A51
A51 road
The A51 is a road in England running from Kingsbury in Warwickshire to Chester. The road follows the following route:*Kingsbury*Tamworth*Lichfield*Rugeley *Little Haywood*Great Haywood*Weston*Sandon...
leaves to the south at a large roundabout-shaped junction, partly Ankerdrive and Bolebridge Street, known as The Egg
The Egg (roundabout)
The Egg is a magic roundabout in Tamworth, Staffordshire. The Egg forms the junction of the A51, A453 and A513 and terminates the B5000. It consists of the roads Ankerdrive and Bolebridge Street, and is listed as being part of the A51. The Egg has a cinema complex and restaurant in the centre, and...
which straddles the River Anker
River Anker
The River Anker is a river in England. The river flows through the centre of Nuneaton towards Tamworth in Staffordshire. The river continues on before merging with the River Tame in Tamworth...
, and passes the Tamworth Odeon
Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
. It continues northwards as Saxondrive, an inner ring road for Tamworth, with a roundabout for Tamworth railway station
Tamworth railway station
Tamworth railway station is located where the Cross Country Route passes over the West Coast Main Line, in the United Kingdom, although there is no rail link between the two lines...
then continues westwards as Offadrive to meet its former route through Tamworth (partly the B5493), where it meets the A513 near the bridge over the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
. King Offa
Offa of Mercia
Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July 796. The son of Thingfrith and a descendant of Eowa, Offa came to the throne after a period of civil war following the assassination of Æthelbald after defeating the other claimant Beornred. In the early years of Offa's reign it is likely...
was the King of Mercia
Mercia
Mercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
, a Saxon kingdom, with its capital as Tamworth. Previously the A453 continued along Bonehill Road then across Lady Bridge and along Aldergate in Tamworth town centre.
Former route through Ashby de la Zouch
The downgraded former middle section continued through Tamworth and Ashby-de-la-ZouchAshby-de-la-Zouch
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, — Zouch being pronounced "Zoosh" — often shortened to Ashby, is a small market town and civil parish in North West Leicestershire, England, within the National Forest. It is twinned with Pithiviers in north-central France....
to the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
. Formerly the road was north of its current route, running through Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
, Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
and Beeston
Beeston, Nottinghamshire
Beeston is a town in Nottinghamshire, England. It is southwest of Nottingham city centre. Although typically regarded as a suburb of the City of Nottingham, and officially designated as part of the Nottingham Urban Area, for local government purposes it is in the borough of Broxtowe, lying outside...
. The section through Castle Donington is now unclassified south of the A50, north of the A50 it is the B6540, and from Long Eaton to Nottingham is part of the A6005.
Breedon on the Hill to Kegworth
The only part of the section between Tamworth and the M1 now designated as the A453 is a short new link west from the limited-access A42 junction 14 to the old route in North West LeicestershireNorth West Leicestershire
North West Leicestershire is a local government district in Leicestershire, England. Its main towns are Ashby-de-la-Zouch and Coalville.The district contains East Midlands Airport, which operates flights to the rest of Britain and to various places in Europe...
. From the A42, the downgraded section of the proposed M42, it follows Moor Lane as a non-trunk road. This route was formerly the A447, and continued southwards to Swannington
Swannington, Leicestershire
Swannington is a former mining village in Leicestershire, England. It was a terminus of the early Leicester and Swannington Railway that was built to carry away its pits' output...
, its present terminus. The A447 also went through Tonge. It meets the former route of the A453 at a T junction, which it follows for one mile. It passes through Isley Walton (Isley cum Langley
Isley cum Langley
Isley cum Langley is a civil parish in the North West Leicestershire district of Leicestershire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 64.- References :...
) as Walton Hill, where there is a left turn for the Donington Park Farmhouse Hotel. The Donington Park
Donington Park
Donington Park is a motorsport circuit near Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England.Originally part of the Donington Hall estate, it was created as a racing circuit during the pre-war period when the German Silver Arrows were battling for the European Championship...
motor circuit is close to the north and there is a left turn for Castle Donington
Castle Donington
Castle Donington is a village, with a population of around 7000 in the North West of Leicestershire, part of the Derby postcode area and on the edge of the National Forest. It is the closest town to East Midlands Airport.-Transport and housing:...
, which is the former route. The road is dual carriageway for a short section and meets a roundabout. The route follows the southern edge of East Midlands Airport, along the former B5400 to Charnock Hill. There is are two right turns for Diseworth
Diseworth
Diseworth is a village in the English county of Leicestershire. It is south of East Midlands Airport and off Junction 23A of the M1 motorway.A village of some 670 residents, it is located 14 km to the north-west of Loughborough and 2.5 km to the south-east of Castle Donington...
, and at Long Whatton and Diseworth it leaves the former B road (which would have passed through one of the terminal buildings, across the airfield, to Kegworth), and continues on a new section of road when the airfield was extended from the former RAF Castle Donington in the mid-1960s. As Ashby Road, there is a left turn for the Thistle
Thistle Hotels
Thistle Hotels is a UK-based hotel company with a portfolio of 33 hotels, operating in the three and four star sector. It is the sixth largest hotel chain in the UK by bedroom numbers , but the largest hotel chain in London.-History:...
EMA, then a roundabout for the Pegasus Business Park, home of Central Networks East (former East Midlands Electricity
East Midlands Electricity
The East Midlands Electricity Board was formed in 1947, one of the 12 area electricity boards specified under the Electricity Act 1947.-Supply area:...
, now owned by PPL WEM Holdings
PPL (utility)
PPL, formerly known as PP&L or Pennsylvania Power and Light, is an energy company headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, USA. It currently controls about 19,000 megawatts of electrical generating capacity in the United States, primarily in Pennsylvania and Montana, and delivers electricity to...
since April 2011). Also off the roundabout is the Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express
Holiday Inn Express is a mid-priced hotel chain within the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands. As an "express" hotel, their focus is on offering limited services and a reasonable price. Standard amenities lean toward the convenient and practical which cater to business travelers and...
EMA and the Premier Inn EMA.
Kegworth to Nottingham
The A453 becomes trunk road again just north of M1 junction 23A where it joins a spur of the A42 at a roundabout on the parish boundary of KegworthKegworth
Kegworth is a large village and civil parish in Leicestershire, England....
, which was built when the A42 opened. Later the Donington Park services
Donington Park services
Donington Park services is a motorway service station off the M1 motorway, A453 and A42 interchange near Kegworth, England.-Characteristics:It is owned by Moto and offers 20% discounts to all RAC members...
were added in July 1999. It runs parallel to the motorway to M1 junction 24, to link to the motorway and the A50 road
A50 road
The A50 is a major trunk road in England. It runs from Warrington to Leicester; however, it was once a much longer route.-Current route:...
. On the opposite side of the M1 from Molehill Farm, on 8 January 1989, the Kegworth air disaster
Kegworth air disaster
The Kegworth Air Disaster occurred on 8 January 1989, when British Midland Flight 92, a Boeing 737–400, crashed onto the embankment of the M1 motorway near Kegworth, Leicestershire, in England. The aircraft was attempting to conduct an emergency landing at East Midlands Airport...
took place. There is a right turn (Ashby Road) for Kegworth, which is the continuation of the former B road route across the airfield. This section of the A453 from junction 24 of the M1 to the airport was opened as the £250,000 Kegworth Link Road on 3 September 1975 by a local county councillor, Mrs Kathleen Wildsmith. The road was built by Galliford and Sons
Galliford Try
Galliford Try plc is a leading British construction business. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
. Previously traffic went straight through Kegworth. There are plans to bypass Kegworth from the south, to join the A453 roundabout at the Donington Park services roundabout.
The A453 then continues as a trunk road from the M1 for the remaining 11 miles (17.7 km) to Nottingham, with most of its traffic originating from the A50, and the rest from the A42. This section of the road follows the route of the former B679. A new section of road was built from junction 24 of the M1 to Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station
Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station
Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station is a coal-fired power station operated by E.ON UK at Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire, England. Commissioned in 1968 by the then Central Electricity Generating Board, the station has a capacity of 2,000 MW...
(which opened in 1968), as the (late 1960s) £222,000 section, the Link road from Ratcliffe Power Station to M1. This became the A648 when completed in 1970, extending along the present B679 to West Bridgford
West Bridgford
West Bridgford is a town in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England. It lies immediately south of the city of Nottingham, delimited by the River Trent; this proximity means that it forms a continuous urban area with Nottingham, effectively makes West Bridgford a suburb of the city, and...
, then the A453 in 1978, when it was diverted from its Long Eaton route. Between 1922-53 the A648 was the road from Brighouse
Brighouse
Brighouse is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale, in West Yorkshire, England. It is situated on the River Calder, east of Halifax in the Pennines. It is served by Junction 25 of the M62 motorway and Brighouse railway station on the Caldervale Line and Huddersfield Line. In the...
to Denholme
Denholme
Denholme is a small town and civil parish in the Bradford Metropolitan Borough, West Yorkshire, England. It is west of Bradford, from Keighley and roughly the same distance from Halifax. Administratively, it is part of the Bingley Rural ward of the City of Bradford...
, now the A644. At Ratcliffe-on-Soar
Ratcliffe-on-Soar
Ratcliffe-on-Soar is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire on the River Soar. It is part of the Rushcliffe district, and is the site of Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station. Nearby places are Kingston on Soar and Trentlock. With a population of around 100, the parish is too small to have a...
it crosses the River Soar
River Soar
The River Soar is a tributary of the River Trent in the English East Midlands.-Description:It rises near Hinckley in Leicestershire and is joined by the River Sence near Enderby before flowing through Leicester , Barrow-on-Soar, beside Loughborough and Kegworth, before joining the Trent near...
, where the road enters Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
and the district of Rushcliffe
Rushcliffe
Rushcliffe is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England. Its council is based in West Bridgford. It was formed on 1 April 1974 by merging the West Bridgford Urban District, the Bingham Rural District and part of Basford Rural District.-Political representation:The...
. It crosses the Midland Main Line
Midland Main Line
The Midland Main Line is a major railway route in the United Kingdom, part of the British railway system.The present-day line links London St...
, and there is a left turn for East Midlands Parkway railway station
East Midlands Parkway railway station
East Midlands Parkway is a railway station located north of Ratcliffe-on-Soar on the Midland Main Line in the East Midlands of England. It provides park and ride facilities for rail passengers on the routes from Leicester to Derby and Nottingham...
, which opened in January 2009. The railway from here to Nottingham railway station directly shadows the A453, to the north. There is a left turn for the power station, owned by E.ON UK
E.ON UK
E.ON UK is an energy company in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of E.ON, the world's largest investor-owned power and gas company. As Powergen, it was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was once a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index but since 1 July 2002 has been owned by E.ON AG of...
and Thrumpton
Thrumpton
Thrumpton is a village and civil parish in Nottinghamshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census it had a population of 152. It is located on the A453 road 6 miles south-west of West Bridgford. The 13th century village church of All Saints was restored in 1871...
. After Thrumpton the road follows a former unclassified road (Green Street to Clifton). There are two left turns for Barton in Fabis
Barton in Fabis
Barton in Fabis is a village and civil parish in the Rushcliffe district of Nottinghamshire. It has a population of about 250. The village is just south of Nottingham, being on the other side of the River Trent from Attenborough....
. The road ascends the top of Brands Hill and Mill Hill, where it enters the City of Nottingham as Barton Lane.
It meets Nottingham Road from Gotham
Gotham, Nottinghamshire
Gotham is a village in Nottinghamshire, England, south of Nottingham and north-east of Kegworth. Gotham has a population of about 1,600. It is administered as part of the Rushcliffe district of Nottingham, and has a parish council....
(the former main road to Kegworth, the B679) at a roundabout, with the Crusader Hungry Horse
Hungry Horse
Founded in 1995, Hungry Horse is a chain of 150 pub-restaurants in England and Wales owned by Greene King Brewery. It promotes itself as offering low cost meals for families and groups.- External links :*...
(former Hardys & Hansons) on the left. It passes the Man of Trent on the right. It passes Clifton police station on the right, then the Clifton campus of Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
on the left, as Clifton Lane. The road here became a dual carriageway in the early 1970s when the Clifton Bridge was dualled, with an exit for the B679 (the former route), for West Bridgford
West Bridgford
West Bridgford is a town in the Rushcliffe borough of Nottinghamshire, England. It lies immediately south of the city of Nottingham, delimited by the River Trent; this proximity means that it forms a continuous urban area with Nottingham, effectively makes West Bridgford a suburb of the city, and...
, and meets the A52
A52 road
The A52 is a major road in the East Midlands, England. It runs east from the junction with the A53 at Newcastle-under-Lyme near Stoke-on-Trent via Ashbourne, Derby, Stapleford, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Bingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness before terminating on the east Lincolnshire coast at...
at an interchange. The interchange was built when the bridge was dualled in 1972. It crosses the Trent concurrently with the A52, then exits to the east as Queens Drive where it is no longer a trunk road. This section of road opened as the B679 when the first Clifton Bridge was opened in May 1958. It later became the A6019 (now a shorter road next to the train station), and took a course slightly to the east. The road was dualled in the late 1970s.
To the left, on the side of the Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
, is the Restaurant Sat Bains
Sat Bains
Sat Bains is a chef and restaurateur from Derby, England. He runs Restaurant Sat Bains with Rooms, the only Michelin starred restaurant in Nottingham....
, Nottingham's only Michelin-starred
Michelin Guide
The Michelin Guide is a series of annual guide books published by Michelin for over a dozen countries. The term normally refers to the Michelin Red Guide, the oldest and best-known European hotel and restaurant guide, which awards the Michelin stars...
restaurant. The Trent Valley Way crosses at the bridge. The main road previously into Nottingham from the south was the B680 (Queens Walk). There is a Park and Ride to the south, the Queen's Drive Retail Park to the north, and the Pork Farms
Pork Farms
Pork Farms is a Nottingham-based British producer and distributor of mainly pork-based bakery products.-History:In the early 1940s, recently City and Guilds qualified baker Ken Parr took out a £9,000 loan to set up his own pie shop...
factory is to the left. The road leaves the side of the River Trent, and heads north, where it widens and passes Landmark House of Experian
Experian
Experian plc, formerly known as CCN Systems, is a global credit information group with operations in 36 countries. The company employs 15,500 people with corporate headquarters in Dublin, Ireland and operational headquarters in Nottingham, England and Costa Mesa, California, US...
, to the left, at the junction of Enterprise Way (former King's Meadow Road, for Castle Marina Park, the headquarters of Speedo International Limited and the ng2 business park). Nottingham Queens Drive Homebase
Homebase
Homebase is a British home improvement store and garden centre, with 350 stores across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. It is well known by its green and orange colour scheme. Together with its sister company Argos , it forms part of Home Retail Group. Homebase recorded sales figures...
is on the left and there is a left turn for Castle Bridge Road (for Castle Boulevard Sainsbury's, and the Castle Marina Retail Park), and it passes the Riverside Retail Park on the left. The road widens again, and at traffic lights Waterway Street West (A6019) leaves to the right, which is the direction for through-traffic. The road ahead, the terminus of the A453, crosses the railway line, then the Nottingham Canal
Nottingham Canal
The Nottingham Canal was a long canal between Langley Mill in Derbyshire and Nottingham, England. It opened in 1796, and most of it was closed in 1937. The southern section is now part of the River Trent Navigation, and the northern section is a nature reserve.-Origins:The idea for the canal first...
, passing HMRC on the left, and meets Castle Boulevard (the former A453, now A6005) next to the Nottingham Post.
Upgrades
As of 2007 the section between the M1 motorway and Nottingham city centre required a major upgrade as it could no longer cope with the volumes of traffic that used it. From the morning peak until around 1100am, the traffic could often back up from the Nottingham Trent UniversityNottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
Clifton campus right the way back to the Ratcliffe on Soar power station adding around 10 to 15 minutes to the journey time along this route. The problems are worse in term time where the light controlled pedestrian crossing at the university can stop traffic so often that the long tailbacks described are caused. There is a marked difference to the levels of traffic on this section outside of term time.
In March 2006 the Highways Agency
Highways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
announced plans for a £90m upgrade to this road including the construction of a dual-carriageway section between the M1 and the Crusader Public House island (near Clifton) to ease traffic congestion. Draft Orders and an Environmental Statement for the scheme were published on 29 January 2009, with the forecast cost rising to £168m. Construction would have started in 2010, with the road open to traffic in 2012/13. However, due to national fiscal constraints, the £164 million road project was postponed in May 2010.
The extension of the Nottingham tram (Nottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit
Nottingham Express Transit is a light-rail tramway in the Nottingham area in England. The first line opened to the public on 9 March 2004, having cost £200 million to construct. The scheme took sixteen years from conception to implementation...
) to Clifton, will include the Clifton Park & Ride site off the A453, where the tram will terminate.
Safety
In June 2008 the Road Safety Foundation announced that a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) single carriageway stretch of the A453 between the A38 and Tamworth was the most improved road for fatal and serious injury accidents. With an 88% reduction in crashes resulting in death and disabling injuries was rated as Green by the Foundation. Staffordshire County Council have undertaken a number of measures to upgrade the road including traffic lights, speed limit reduction, village gateway treatment, central islands and improved pedestrian facilities. These resulted in a reduction in fatal and serious collisions from 8 in 2001-3 to 1 in 2004-6.External links
- Government News Network - A453 Upgrade
- EuroRAP GB Tracking Results 2008
- Road Safety Foundation
- Multi-modal study in 2002 by Pell FrischmannPell FrischmannPell Frischmann is a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy with an annual turnover approaching £50 million. Pell Frischmann employs over 1,150 staff worldwide with its head office located in London, 16 offices across the UK and international offices in India, the Middle East, Turkey and...
- Sabre Roads
- A648
- A6019
- B679
- Businesses in June 2011
- Notts County Council in May 2011
- Businesses in February 2011
- Project postponed in May 2010
- Public enquiry in November 2009
- Dual carriageway plan in January 2009