94-561: The Saltash Tunnel is a road tunnel on the A38 at Saltash in Cornwall , UK , and was opened in 1988. The central lane operates as a reversible lane to cope with holiday and rush hour traffic and the speed limit is 30 mph. The tunnel is used by more than 38,000 motorists per day and is 410 m long. It was designed by Mott, Hay and Anderson , built by Balfour Beatty , and has a design life of at least 100 years. During construction of
188-680: A continuous dual carriageway route to Cornwall can use the A30 rather than using the Devon Expressway before joining the less major roads over the border in Cornwall. It then runs concurrently with the M5 until junction 27, where it splits and enters Somerset independent but parallel to the M5. During the mid-1960s, small sections of the route between Plymouth and Exeter were upgraded to dual carriageway, such as those at Dean Prior and Heathfield. This
282-480: A direct route for the A38 to meet the M5 at Junction 4 at Lydiate Ash, with the dual carriageway continuing North to Rubery. The original Birmingham Road survives to this day, but is noticeably lightly trafficked due to its cul-de-sac nature. Its considerable width makes it a very popular route for learner drivers and as such is affectionately named by local people as "Learners Mile". The road from Lydiate Ash to Longbridge
376-555: A dual two-lane motorway would be built at a cost of around £8 million. The Motorways Archive also records that the carriageways were also built to a lower overall width of 88 feet (27 m) rather than 100 feet (30 m) to reduce the loss of agricultural land. When the decision became necessary to widen the Worcestershire section of M5, it cost £123 million. The 2-mile (3.2 km) dual two-lane section between junctions 16 and 17 built at Filton , near Bristol,
470-455: A locally well known retailer, is passed by the road. The Ashburton bypass, much like the Kennford bypass, uses the alignment of a much older 1930s single carriageway bypass, which was subsequently upgraded to dual carriageway by 1974. At the town of Buckfastleigh , the route once again bypasses on a new alignment, although due to the challenging topography of the area, the road crosses part of
564-473: A new alignment, as well as being the first sizeable dual carriageway section of the route. Before Ivybridge, the route roughly parallels the original route, bypassing the village of Lee Mill which is now home to a large trading estate. The Ivybridge bypass opened in 1973 and the South Brent bypass in 1974, both on new alignments. The A38 passes Endsleigh Garden Centre, which used to have direct access from
658-632: A pass in the Lickey Hills . The Roman road also went through the same pass, but its route to the pass was probably rather straighter. Beyond the motorway junction, the A38 was turnpiked, not as the turnpike to Birmingham, but to Halesowen and Dudley , by the 1726 Act that also turnpiked Old Birmingham Road. The next Acts appointed separate trustees for the Dudley Road in 1742 and for the Birmingham Road in 1748. The road continues from
752-586: A single carriageway configuration of 1980s construction, including multiple traffic light controlled junctions – such as the Mansfield, Ashfield Regeneration Route ("MARR"). The final section of the A38 from Sutton, past King's Mill Hospital into Mansfield , is purely urban in nature and is single carriageway, joining the A6009 in Mansfield Town Centre at the end of the route from Cornwall to
846-690: A three-level stacked roundabout for the A386 , which heads out towards Dartmoor National Park. The route was reserved for the Parkway as early as 1943, when it was included in the Plan for Plymouth. In the early 1990s, the Marsh Mills junction was significantly remodelled, reducing the size of the roundabout and building a flyover over the top of it, allowing free flowing access from the Plympton bypass onto
940-701: Is a major A-class trunk road in England. The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire . It is 292 miles (470 km) long, making it the longest two digit A road in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds–Exeter Trunk Road , when this description also included the A61. Before the opening of the M5 motorway in the 1960s and 1970s, the A38 formed the main "holiday route" from
1034-850: Is crossed at this point by the Midshires Way and Centenary Way. There is a junction for the B6179 to Ripley and Belper . At Alfreton, there is a grade separated junction with the A61, A615 and B6179. The section from Alfreton to the M1, the Alfreton– South Normanton Bypass, opened as the A615 in the late 1960s. This section has a grade separated junction with the B600 for Somercotes and the Cotes Park industrial estate, and where it crosses
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#17327804675551128-470: Is single-carriageway and suffers from heavy volume of traffic at peak times, and congestion along Bedminster Down. From Bedminster Down the A38 follows West Street and East Street through the centre of Bedminster, but drivers from the south were advised by road signs not to follow the A38 into the city, but to use the A3029 (Winterstoke Road) to enter from the west, as this route had a greater capacity. As part of
1222-640: The A368 between Weston-super-Mare and Bath . This route is the suggested route for accessing the south of Bristol and Bristol Airport from the South West. The centre of Bridgwater was a notorious bottleneck on the "holiday route" as traffic from both the A38 and the A39 had to negotiate through the town centre in order to cross the River Parrett . The construction of a new reinforced concrete road bridge,
1316-582: The Greater Bristol Strategic Transport Study , a link road had been under consideration to the south of Bristol. This is in part due to the congestion at Winterstoke Road and Barrow Gurney, both of which are very busy, especially the latter where the road can only accommodate travelling at one direction at a given time; and the incomplete Bristol Ring Road ( A4174 ). This road, named the South Bristol Link,
1410-602: The Highways Agency stabilised a 840-metre (0.52 mi) section of the road near Bodmin Parkway railway station . The work, which commenced in October 2007, was carried out to shore up the verge, which had been built on an embankment supported by dry stone walling and the root systems of large trees. It was completed in May 2008 seeing the installation of kerbing, road drainage gulleys, safety barriers as well as increasing
1504-669: The M42 and the B4096 at junction 1 at Lickey End . It passes through Upper Catshill and meets the M5 at junction 4 (along with the A491 road ) near Lydiate Ash . From here to Edgbaston , the road is mostly dual carriageway, single-lane sections having been replaced in the first decade of the 21st century (see history section, below). Following completion of the Selly Oak bypass, the A38 deviates from its original route and briefly multiplexes with
1598-521: The Midlands to Somerset , Devon and Cornwall. Considerable lengths of the road in the West Midlands closely follow Roman roads , including part of Icknield Street . Between Worcester and Birmingham the current A38 follows the line of a Saxon salt road . For most of the length of the M5 motorway, the A38 road runs alongside it as a single carriageway road. The road starts on
1692-490: The A38 heads north via Wellington , Taunton , Bridgwater , Highbridge and Bristol . From Waterloo Cross to Birmingham, the road is paralleled by the M5, where the A38 has reverted to taking local traffic only. From Bristol, it continues north via Gloucester , Tewkesbury , Worcester and Bromsgrove to Birmingham . Between Worcester and Birmingham the A38 followed the line of an identified Saxon Salt road , one of six leading out of Droitwich . At Bromsgrove, it meets
1786-456: The A38 is one of the areas chosen by the Highways Agency to monitor the effectiveness of driver location signs in assisting motorists to communicate their location to the emergency services. From Birmingham the road bypasses Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield , before taking up the route of the Roman road , Ryknild Street , (also spelt Icknield or Rykneld ), as far as Derby . At Wychnor ,
1880-579: The A38 near the Abbey. The current A38 road follows from the southern end of one of the Worcester turnpike trust's roads which was originally (in 1726) at Severn Stoke , but an Act of 1737 extended it to Upton Bridge (taking it past Bluebell Farm). North of the city, the road was a particularly important one as it connected the saltmaking centre of Droitwich with the River Severn . In 1706, this
1974-719: The A4040 outer Ring Road before forming the new bypass which is controversially named New Fosse Way. (The old route is designated B384 having been briefly B38). In the centre of Birmingham, a section of the road becomes the Aston Expressway A38(M) motorway , running from the north-eastern side of the Inner Ring Road through Aston to the junction with the M6 motorway at Gravelly Hill Interchange , better known as Spaghetti Junction . The West Midlands section of
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#17327804675552068-670: The A5111; Markeaton for the A52 ; and Little Eaton (or Abbey Hill ) for the A61 and B6179. The section of road between Kingsway roundabout to just north of Markeaton is urban in nature and thus subject to a 40 mph (64 km/h) speed limit. Originally terminating in Derby at the junction of Babington Lane with St Peter's Street (formerly the A6 ), the road enters the district of Amber Valley where it passes Drum Hill just north of Little Eaton and
2162-598: The Blake Bridge, which opened in March 1958 as part of a southern bypass took much of the traffic away from the centre of Bridgwater. The opening of the M5 in 1974 further reduced the traffic pressure. This is complemented by a link road (Western Way) linking the A38 and the A39 north and west of the town respectively. Much of the A38 through Somerset was built as single carriageway, with some three-lane passing points. However,
2256-579: The Bromsgrove bypass, is Lickey End, where an old highway intersection has been replaced by Junction 1 of M42 motorway . Here, the road is joined from the southeast by the B4096 , Alcester Road, which was from 1754 one of the roads of the Alcester turnpike trust. The continuation northwards of B4096 is called Old Birmingham Road, because it was the original route of the turnpike to Birmingham, climbing to
2350-674: The M1) south of Birmingham or the spur from it to Birmingham (now part of the M6), and that the Birmingham to Bristol motorway, now the M5, could be the M38. However, by 1959, the name M5 for the Birmingham to Bristol motorway had been agreed. Rather than take its number from the sector radiating from London, as would be the case for a non-motorway road, it formed (along with the Bristol Channel and
2444-587: The M42 Junction 1 towards Catshill and up a short incline at which there is a fork. Prior to the construction of the M5 motorway in the early 1960s, the Halesowen Road continued West whilst Birmingham Road continued North to meet the existing dual carriageway just South of Rubery. After the M5 was constructed, all traffic was diverted along Halesowen Road (then the A459) which was widened and lit to provide
2538-526: The M5 ascends the hillsides above the Gordano Valley , between Portishead , junction 19 and Clevedon , junction 20. Between junction 21, Weston-super-Mare and junction 22, Burnham-on-Sea , the M5 passes by an isolated landmark hill called Brent Knoll and crosses the western end of the Mendip Hills . The Willow Man sculpture is visible from both carriageways, and acts as a landmark just to
2632-569: The M5 is a large four-level stack interchange , named the Almondsbury Interchange , where the M5 meets the M4 . The Avonmouth Bridge , between junctions 18 and 19, is often a bottleneck during heavy traffic periods, due mainly to lane drops at either end of the bridge for the respective junctions, and the sharp angle in the centre of the bridge, which causes larger vehicles to slow considerably. There are split-level carriageways where
2726-539: The M5 it runs as a broad single carriageway, again parallel to the M5 in route towards Gloucester. The present road from Bristol through Horfield was one of the additional roads added to the Bristol turnpike roads in 1749. This passed through Thornbury to Stone , just beyond the boundary of South Gloucestershire , where it met one of the Gloucester turnpike roads . From Almondsbury, the road approximately follows
2820-517: The M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley . It continues past Bromsgrove (and from Birmingham and Bromsgrove is part of the Birmingham Motorway Box), Droitwich Spa , Worcester , Tewkesbury , Cheltenham , Gloucester , Bristol , Portishead , Clevedon , Weston-super-Mare , Bridgwater , Taunton , Tiverton , Cullompton terminating at junction 31 for Exeter. The M5 quite closely follows
2914-460: The M5 to East Brent , the A38 runs broadly parallel to the motorway: junctions 22 to 27 are mostly spurs connecting to the road and all no further than 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from it. The A38 runs around Wellington, through the county seat of Taunton , North Petherton and Highbridge. Beyond Highbridge and junction 22, the road departs the motorway and resumes primary status, going through Winscombe , Churchill and Lower Langford where it crosses
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3008-484: The M5, and is a three-lane dual carriageway. The village of Kennford is bypassed, on an alignment of a 1930s bypass, which was upgraded to a dual-carriageway in the 1960s and then widened to a dual three-lane road in 1975. A junction to the south of Exeter represents a third meeting point of the A38 with the A30, from which point the A38 multiplexes with the M5 before re-emerging from junction 27 near Waterloo Cross, 21 miles (34 km) north of Exeter. From junction 27
3102-427: The M5, from junctions 4 to 8, was widened to provide six lanes in the early 1990s. During this work, the northbound Strensham services were rebuilt further away from the modified M50 junction. Worcestershire County Council, the police and particularly the county surveyor of Worcestershire made repeated representations that a dual three-lane standard motorway was appropriate. The Ministry of Transport insisted that
3196-654: The M6 motorway, was constructed as an elevated dual three-lane motorway over Birmingham Canal (Old Main Line) , Birmingham Canal (New Main Line) , and Titford Pool using concrete pillars. The M5 was also extended southwards, in sections, from 1967 to 1977, through Gloucestershire and Somerset, to Exeter in Devon as a dual three-lane motorway, together with the Strensham services. The section from Huntworth (J24) to Blackbrook, on
3290-422: The M6) the boundary of a new numbering sector for motorways. Junction 1 surrounds a surviving gatehouse from the former Sandwell Hall . The section from junctions 16 and 18 was illuminated in about 1973 as part of a wider policy announced by Minister for Transport Industries, John Peyton , in 1972 to illuminate the 86 miles (138 km) of UK motorway particularly prone to fog. In the late 1980s, junction 4a
3384-721: The Nottingham spur of the Midland Main Line it enters the district of Bolsover . As a 1970s upgrade to the route of the A61 north of Derby (which became the B6179), the A38 bypasses Ripley passing through former opencast mining land, before joining end-on with the former A615 Alfreton bypass at Watchorn Intersection. The road crosses the M1 at junction 28. Into Nottinghamshire , the road bypasses Sutton-in-Ashfield , dropping to
3478-590: The Parkway. The viaducts carrying the A38 over the River Plym , which after the construction of the Marsh Mills flyover became the Exeter bound sliproads, were built in 1969–70 as part of the Plympton bypass. They were replaced in the 1990s due to suffering from Alkali Silica Reaction , and the project, completed in February 1996 at a cost of £12.25 million, involved the world's largest sideways bridge slide at
3572-511: The River Plym, which after the construction of the Marsh Mills flyover became the Exeter bound sliproads, were built in 1969–1970 as part of the Plympton bypass. They were replaced in the 1990s due to suffering from Alkali Silica Reaction , and the project, completed in February 1996 at a cost of £12.25million, involved the world's largest sideways bridge slide at the time for the 410 metres (1,350 ft), 5,500 tonne bridge. This required
3666-651: The St James Barton roundabout and Stokes Croft. The route to the north of the city is also very busy: it runs as a single carriageway up to the junction with the A4174 ring road at Filton , and where it runs as Gloucester Road is a busy shopping parade. Beyond the ring road, it runs as dual-carriageway past Filton Airport which lies in South Gloucestershire, which contains bases for Royal Mail , Airbus , Rolls-Royce and others. Beyond junction 16 of
3760-505: The closure of Plymouth City Airport in 2011, and the 2014 breaching of the South Devon Railway sea wall following storms that in turn, cut off Plymouth and Cornwall's rail access. However this would involve a number of reconstruction works including realignment where the current route of the A38 follows tight bends. Improvements to junction 25 at Taunton were approved with an £18 million programme that will include
3854-516: The commercial contract, and some construction subcontractors had entered into liquidation. The short section between junctions 27 and 29 was built between 1967 and 1969, by Devon County Council , as the A38 Cullompton Bypass , with the intention that it should become part of the M5. The termini for this section have since been removed, although part of the southern terminal roundabout is now used as an emergency access. The section
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3948-487: The construction of the M5 through Somerset, in the early 1970s, led to the building of links between the A38 and the M5 in the form of new roundabouts on the A38 linking into adjacent junctions on the M5. The A38 serves Bristol Airport to the southwest of the city, and enters the city itself at Highridge, along Bedminster Down and into Bedminster . It runs through central Bristol before leaving northwards along North Street, Stokes Croft and Gloucester Road . It runs past
4042-414: The dual carriageway, although since the early 2000s this has been closed and the garden centre is accessed from the Westover junction for Ivybridge. The route originally ended at the Marsh Mills roundabout, which when opened was the largest in Europe. The section of the A38 between the A382 junction and Ashburton was built on a new alignment parallel to the old road, and was opened in 1974. Trago Mills ,
4136-445: The east of Taunton, (J25) was built by A. Monk Ltd, of Padgate , with a contract for £5,721,086 in May 1973 for seven miles. The southbound lane opened on Tuesday 4 November 1975, and the northbound lane opened on Tuesday 25 November 1975. But the motorway section was not legally a motorway for the first few weeks, as it was incomplete. The northbound lane was not fully finished until Easter 1976. Monk Ltd had asked for two extensions to
4230-435: The eastern side of Bodmin at a junction with the A30 before traversing the edge of the town to meet the A30 again. It travels through the picturesque Glynn Valley to Dobwalls and Liskeard , which are bypassed by a dual carriageway . The Dobwalls section contains a bat bridge . The A38 continues through the Cornish countryside, bypassing the centre of Saltash and continuing through the Saltash Tunnel . Immediately after
4324-442: The enlargement of the junction roundabout, the widening of the eastern junction slip road exit, and an additional roundabout southeast of the junction to provide access to a new business park and to a proposed bypass of the hamlet of Henlade . In October 2009, workmen clearing vegetation from the slip road at junction 14 discovered human bones in a black bin bag dumped in the bushes . The police were called soon after, and it
4418-407: The former Filton Airport in South Gloucestershire to meet the M5 again at junction 16. Thereafter it runs through Almondsbury and by-passes Thornbury to enter Gloucestershire. South of Bristol, the road was diverted in 2001 to cater for an extension of the runway and installation of a category 3 landing system at Bristol Airport . The route south of the city, despite serving the airport,
4512-654: The impression of a poorly built tunnel. This issue was commented upon in Parliament by the local MP, Colin Breed , and a £7.4 million renovation project was contracted to Skanska to provide a new tunnel lining and improvements to the electrical system. 50°24′42″N 4°12′54″W / 50.41161°N 4.21496°W / 50.41161; -4.21496 A38 road [REDACTED] M5 [REDACTED] M50 [REDACTED] M42 [REDACTED] A38(M) [REDACTED] M6 [REDACTED] M6 Toll [REDACTED] M1 The A38 , parts of which are known as Devon Expressway, Bristol Road and Gloucester Road ,
4606-432: The interchange full-access and dualling the A4019 east of the junction into Cheltenham. Works will commence in 2023 (subject to permission being granted) and be completed in 2024, according to the Gloucestershire County Council. There have been suggestions that the Government extend the M5 south, to the city of Plymouth , which currently relies on the A38 road. The argument for such an extension has intensified in light of
4700-420: The issue, with local MP Gary Streeter calling for a review of the road. A number of improvements have been made along the route in recent years, mainly being the replacement of worn-out road surfaces, such as those at Buckfastleigh and Ivybridge. These projects have also included the replacement of signage, and the reconstruction of exit/entry slips for side turnings, in a bid to make the road safer. Presently,
4794-472: The junction. In 2009, it was announced that the lighting between junctions 30 and 31 would be turned off between midnight and 05:00 to save energy. Proposals were announced in September 2009 for a new Gloucester Services between junctions 11a and 12. A planning application was submitted in December 2009. Stroud District councillors approved the services in August 2010. The Services opened in May 2014 In September 2020, Highways England announced that
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#17327804675554888-469: The line of the Roman road from Sea Mills to Gloucester. The previous main route out of Bristol (one of twelve roads from the city, turnpiked in 1727) was Stapleton and Hambrook to the upper end of Tytherington and thence to Stone. This seems to be parts of B4058, B4424, and then unclassified roads. However, Ogilby 's Britannia shows a route following the B4058 as far as Cromhall , then through Stinchcombe Bottom , Dursley , and Cam before joining
4982-442: The majority of the route between Exeter and Plymouth, containing several side turnings with short exit/entry slips, and properties which back onto the road. The town of Chudleigh and the village of Chudleigh Knighton are bypassed on a new alignment, which opened in 1973, and the following section at Heathfield up to the A382 junction was upgraded from the original route between 1966 and 1968. Some of this section follows part of
5076-413: The motorway. The Cullompton services are signed on the motorway in the northbound direction only. This was implemented to reduce congestion at the low capacity junction, although there is still access available to the services southbound through the junction. Also, the northbound exit slip to the junction was reduced to one lane instead of two to reduce traffic on the small roundabout at the west side of
5170-406: The new traffic generated, & avoid more congestion around both Cheltenham & Gloucester, a new junction, 11A, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) south of junction 11, was constructed and opened in the mid-1990s. A further feature of this junction was to create a new route from the south west Midlands to London and central southern England via the A417, A419 and the M4 at junction 15. The Avonmouth Bridge
5264-411: The northern Midlands. When first designated in 1922, the A38 ran from the centre of Plymouth to Derby. It was later extended west from Plymouth on the former route of the A389 over the Torpoint Ferry to a junction with the A30 at Bodmin. When the Tamar Bridge was opened in 1961, the A38 was rerouted on the former line of the A374 , through Tideford, over the new bridge and through Crownhill , joining
5358-450: The old Teign Valley Line railway. Before Kennford, the route splits, with the A38 heading for Plymouth and the A380 heading towards Torbay . At this point, the road becomes a dual two-lane road although a third-lane emerges immediately for uphill traffic as the route climbs Haldon Hill , which has an average gradient of 1 in 20 over a 4 km distance, and a maximum gradient of around 1 in 10 (the adjacent A380 Telegraph Hill has about
5452-444: The old route at Plympton. The old route of the A38, via Torpoint and the centre of Plymouth, was redesignated the A374. The A38 was extended north from Derby to the M1 motorway and Mansfield in 1977, partly on the former line of the A615. The Liskeard bypass, stretching for 6 miles (10 km) from the west of Liskeard to Trerulefoot , opened in June 1976. A public inquiry was held for the Dobwalls bypass in February 2005, which
5546-536: The old route through the city became the A430. In 2007 the Gloucester South Western Bypass opened to traffic, costing £43 million. Though it is numbered A430 and not technically part of the A38, traffic wishing to continue on the A38 on the other side of the city is signed to use the bypass, rather than the existing A38. Beyond Gloucester, the A38 was probably only improved in 1756 under an Act ( 29 Geo. 2 . c. 58) dealing with roads from that city towards Cheltenham and Tewkesbury . The next section (from Coombe Hill )
5640-421: The police contacted Ford to help them trace the vehicle. On the evening of Friday 4 November 2011, seven people were killed and a further 51 injured in a major crash involving over 50 vehicles which included cars, vans and large goods vehicles near junction 25 in West Monkton , near Taunton . Several vehicles were burnt out in the fire which developed at the scene as the result of a series of explosions, and
5734-404: The present road. The Bristol turnpike roads were continued by a turnpike road established in 1727, described as "from the City of Gloucester to the village of Stone being the great road from the north to west of this kingdom". Much of the road, follows a Roman road, but deviates from it between Buckover and Whitfield . The A38 was rerouted along the Gloucester Bypass when it was built, and
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#17327804675555828-405: The road crosses the River Trent and enters the district of East Staffordshire . At Barton Turn, near the B5016 junction, the road runs right alongside the Cross Country Route for around 1 mile (1.6 km). This railway line follows the line of the A38 from Derby to Plymouth. From Alrewas to Burton, the path called The Way for the Millennium follows the northbound carriageway. From Clay Mills,
5922-402: The road cut through existing bat flight lines. After opening the Dobwall bypass experienced problems with surface water. This led to lane closures in winter due to risk of ice. A major scheme to reconstruct a mile of the bypass started in September 2014 and is expected to last until May 2015. It is thought it will cost an extra £10.6 million. In a separate improvement within the Glynn Valley,
6016-404: The road originated as a Roman road, but the later road left the Roman line near Naunton in Ripple . The name Stratford Bridge on the county boundary confirms its Roman origin there. The A38 into Tewkesbury has been diverted away from the now declassified Gloucester Road along a new link road to the A438 east of the town centre. The A38 resumes in Tewkesbury town centre where the A438 has always met
6110-457: The road passes through the district of South Derbyshire , passing the grade separated junction with the A5132 for Willington . There is the Derby with Burton services at the Burnaston A50 interchange. The road enters the City of Derby borough 0.5 miles (0.8 km) north of the Littleover interchange. For nearly 4 miles (6.4 km), the A38 forms part of Derby's outer ring road, including three roundabouts: Kingsway (or Grand Canyon ) for
6204-425: The road surface was seriously damaged, not just by the fire and explosions, but also by fuel spillage. The cause of the crash, which took place in wet foggy conditions close to a firework display , was investigated. One person was charged for breach under health and safety laws and found not guilty. Data from driver location signs are used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information. Where both
6298-469: The road to be closed for only 48 hours, winning it an AA National Motoring Award in 1996 for innovation and minimisation of traffic congestion. As with any major road, accidents are likely to occur; however due to the substandard design of some sections of the route between Exeter and Plymouth, the accident rate has been identified as being above the national average for the type of road. A spate of accidents in April 2009 heightened local awareness of
6392-435: The route between Plymouth and the end of M5 is all dual carriageway, and branded the Devon Expressway, being the primary route that links Plymouth to the rest of the country. Beyond the end of the M5, the road runs concurrently with and as the M5 until junction 27. The original route between Exeter and junction 27 of the M5 (Waterloo Cross) was downgraded to become the B3181 when the M5 was opened in 1977 From Junction 27 of
6486-422: The route of the A38 road . The two deviate slightly around Bristol and the area south of Bristol from junctions 16 to the Sedgemoor services north of junction 22. The A38 goes straight through the centre of Bristol and passes by Bristol Airport , while the M5 skirts both, with access to the airport from junctions 18, 19 or 22. The A38 continues south into Devon from junction 31, near Exminster . Junction 15 of
6580-412: The same maximum gradient). The third lane is lost at the top of the hill, and the next section, the Harcombe bends is an original dual carriageway section, older than the rest of the route and this is evident with its sharp bends. The Devon Expressway ends near the village of Kennford , south of Exeter, at the terminus of the M5. This initial section was opened in 1977, along with the remaining section of
6674-421: The same year. Whilst many of the sections were newly constructed realignments, some sections such as the Ashburton and Kennford bypasses were upgraded from the original 1930s single carriageway bypasses. The Parkway, the section of dual carriageway through the suburbs of Plymouth between the Tamar Bridge and Marsh Mills, was constructed in 1983–84, along a route which had been reserved for this road since 1943. This
6768-461: The section between junctions 1 and 2 in the West Midlands will be one of four in England to have its speed limit reduced to 60 mph (97 km/h) in a bid to reduce high levels of atmospheric nitrogen dioxide in the particular area. In 2020, it was announced that junction 10 would be undergoing significant roadworks as part of a redevelopment project on the A4019. The works will involve making
6862-532: The south of junction 23, which as of 2021 had degraded and lost its head and arms. The first 26 miles (42 km) of the M5 motorway was constructed as a dual two-lane motorway with Worcestershire County Council acting as engineer. This section – from junction 4 ( Lydiate Ash ) in the north to a trumpet junction with the M50 in the south – opened in July 1962. This original section of
6956-650: The space of nine months. When it was renewed in 1725, it was extended from the Tything of Whistons to the Lower Slip of the Quay of Worcester; from Droitwich to Dyers Bridge (M5 Junction 5) near Bromsgrove; and through the town of Droitwich from "Netherwith" [Netherwich] Bridge to a place called "Chapel on the Bridge". In 1749, this was again extended through the town of Bromsgrove to Spadebourne Bridge, immediately north of
7050-455: The time for the 410 metres (1,350 ft), 5,500 tonne bridge. This required the road to be closed for only 48 hours, which won it an AA National Motoring Award in 1996 for innovation and minimisation of traffic congestion. The road widens to a three-lane dual carriageway for the Plympton bypass. This opened in 1971 and was the first section of the Devon Expressway to be built on
7144-469: The town on a viaduct. The road occupies part of the alignment of the former Totnes to Ashburton railway line. From Buckfastleigh to the A385 junction, the current road follows the route of original single carriageway, with the majority of this section being upgraded between 1973 and 1974, although a small section at Dean Prior was upgraded between 1966 and 1967. This section is of a poor quality when compared to
7238-527: The town. Where the road leaves Worcester, it again does not follow the line of the Roman road in the same direction until it picks up the Roman line, just south of Martin Hussingtree . The Roman road took a more direct line over Rainbow Hill and through Blackpole, now B4550 . From Martin Hussingtree, the A38 closely follows the Roman line to beyond Bromsgrove. The present road deviates from its line when it
7332-614: The tunnel the River Tamar is crossed using the Tamar Bridge where the route resumes dual carriageway status. The section from Plymouth to Exeter is known locally as the Devon Expressway; it forms the southern border of Dartmoor National Park , and serves as a southward extension of the M5 motorway opening in 1977. It is 42 miles (68 km) long and was completed in the early 1970s. There are several grade separated junctions along its length mainly for local traffic; including
7426-399: The tunnel, a problem was encountered with flooding due to the saturation of the surrounding rocks. The resultant flow of water was channelled through the tunnel, hidden by a decorative cladding. Within a few months, this cladding had begun to crack, and water entered the part of the tunnel reserved for traffic. Although no structural problems were found, the water staining on the cladding gave
7520-520: The verge width to allow for a new surface water drainage system. The A38 in Devon runs between Tamar Bridge outside Plymouth and junction 31 of the M5 , where the motorway ends; this section is known as the Devon Expressway . It is mainly a two-lane dual carriageway which runs between Exeter and Plymouth serving as a continuation of the M5 motorway. It is a popular route for tourists travelling to Cornwall , though those wanting to use
7614-470: Was also opened in 1962, and was intended to replace the pre-war Filton bypass. Gloucestershire County Council acted as engineer for this section, which was widened to a dual three-lane motorway in 1969. North of junction 4 the M5 was constructed in sections, from 1967 to 1970, together with the Frankley services . Much of the northern section beyond junction 3, from about Oldbury to the junction with
7708-720: Was built as part of the M42 motorway construction project. The route of the M42 was decided as early as 1972 but, owing to planning delays, the short section of the M42 north of Bromsgrove did not open until December 1989. As the M5 traffic increased in the 1980s, junction 11, the main Gloucester and Cheltenham access (via the A40 Golden Valley by-pass) became increasingly congested. At the same time there were plans for large scale business and housing developments at Brockworth, near Gloucester. To relieve junction 11 of some of
7802-519: Was converted to eight lanes (four lanes in each direction) in the early 2000s. Later, in 2005–2006, parts of the M5 between junctions 17 and 20 were widened to 7 lanes (four lanes climbing the hills and three lanes descending the hills); variable message signs were added and parts of the central reservation was converted to a concrete step barrier . During this stage of construction the M5 became Britain's longest contraflow system, spanning 9 miles (14 km) between junctions 19 and 20. The M5 contraflow
7896-455: Was described as heavily used for the 'carriage of salt, iron, coals and other wares'. The first Turnpike Act for this road was an extremely early one, being passed in 1713 and recites: The highway from the city of Worcester to the Borough of Droitwich ... by reason of the heavy and many loads and carriages of salt and other goods which daily pass through the said road is almost impassible for
7990-485: Was developed to motorway standards, and incorporated into the M5 in 1975. When the initial English motorway system, including the now-M5, was being planned, no numbering system had been agreed. A 1958 Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation memo suggested basing motorway numbers on the existing A road numbering scheme , suggesting that "M5" would be either the section of the London-Doncaster motorway (now
8084-617: Was expected to cost £32 million. The bottleneck was removed when the bypass, linking the existing Liskeard bypass to the current single carriageway section through the Glynn Valley opened in the Winter of 2008. A campaign to open this road was started by villagers in Dobwalls in 1930, but planning for building the road was not granted until 2006, the work starting on 15 November that year. Two bat bridges and one bat house were added as
8178-463: Was followed by the construction of Plympton bypass in 1970–71, with the majority of realignment, such as the Ivybridge and Buckfastleigh bypasses, being completed during 1973–74. The route, now known as the Devon Expressway, was largely complete by 1975, with the final section between Kennford and the M5 opening in 1977, coinciding with the completion of the final section of the M5 around Exeter during
8272-474: Was followed by the construction of a flyover over Marsh Mills roundabout in 1992, providing a non-stop route between the Plympton bypass and the Parkway. The Plympton bypass opened in 1971, and was used for a stage in the 1974 Tour de France , with a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) stretch closed to traffic in order to allow the visit of the race to the United Kingdom. The viaducts carrying the A38 over
8366-735: Was improved as one of the Tewkesbury roads, again from 1727. The Act refers to this as the Upper Way to Gloucester in contrast to the Lower Way, which went via Wainsload Bridge. When this Act was renewed in 1756, the road from Tewkesbury to a farmhouse called the Old Blue Ball (now Bluebell Farm) was also included. This was in Earls Croome , Worcestershire, and was where one of the Worcester turnpikes ended. Much of this stretch of
8460-647: Was laid out as a new road in the early 1960s to collaborate with the construction of the M5 motorway which opened in 1962. The road passed through the centre of Rubery until the £770,000 (£18.8 million in 2023), Rubery Bypass opened in December 1965. M5 motorway The M5 is a motorway in England linking the Midlands with the South West . It runs from junction 8 of the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon . Heading south-west,
8554-423: Was originally classified at Droitwich where the main road is a bypass, the old road now mostly being B4090 . This happens again at Bromsgrove, where A38 is again a bypass, the old line mostly now being B4091 and Bromsgrove High Street (now partly pedestrianised, then through the town centre. The Bromsgrove Eastern Bypass was constructed in 1980. A short distance north of where the old A38 (now declassified) joins
8648-472: Was said to be the most complicated ever built in the UK as the motorway is on a split level around the steep hills of the Gordano Valley ; meaning four lanes plus an additional emergency vehicle lane were squeezed into that section. In 2002, extended exits for junction 12 were constructed. The Highways Agency did not anticipate the traffic flows through the junction and the resultant queues soon extended back onto
8742-610: Was soon established that the bones were those of a young female. A few days later, DNA found on the remains confirmed that the body was that of Melanie Hall , a Bath hospital worker who disappeared in June 1996 after a night out in Bath , and who had been declared dead in absentia in 2004. Dental records confirmed that the body was hers, and the police began a formal investigation into her murder. As of 2016 no one has been prosecuted in connection with this case. Some keys were also discovered and
8836-560: Was subsequently opened in 2017 and now surpasses the A3029 (Winterstoke Road) as the main route from Bristol Airport to the city centre and the motorway network north of Bristol. In central Bristol, the original route from Bedminster Bridge ran up Redcliffe Hill and then along Redcliff Street to Bristol Bridge . In the 1950s Redcliff Street was declassified, following completion of the Inner Circuit Road . The route resumes at The Centre . It then follows Rupert Street to
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