A52 road

A52
Route information
Length	146 mi (235 km)
History	1956–57 (Construction start and end)
Major junctions
East end	Mablethorpe 53.341891°N 0.261852°E/53.341891; 0.261852(A52, northern terminus)
Major intersections	A16 A17 A15 A1 A46 M1 A61 A6 A53 A34
West end	Newcastle-under-Lyme 53.013582°N 2.230708°W/53.013582; -2.230708(A52, northern terminus)
Location
Country	United Kingdom
Primary destinations	Stoke-on-Trent Ashbourne Derby Nottingham Grantham Boston Skegness
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom Motorways A and B road zones
←A51 →A53

TheA52is a major road in theEast Midlands,England.It runs east from a junction with theA53atNewcastle-under-LymenearStoke-on-TrentviaAshbourne,Derby,Stapleford,Nottingham,West Bridgford,Bingham,Grantham,BostonandSkegnessto the eastLincolnshirecoast atMablethorpe.It is approximately 147 miles (237 km) long.

Route length

According tothe AA,Newcastle-under-Lyme to Derby takes 56 minutes, Derby to Boston takes 1 hour and 40 minutes (100 minutes), and Boston to Mablethorpe takes 1 hour and 2 minutes (62 minutes), taking 3 hours and 38 minutes (218 minutes) to travel the whole distance.

History

Brian Clough Way

The mainly dual-carriageway 12.5-mile (20.0 km) stretch between The Pentagon Island in Derby and theQueen's Medical Centrein Nottingham was namedBrian Clough Wayin 2005 to honour the lateDerby CountyandNottingham ForestfootballmanagerBrian Clough.

Nantwich, Chesire

Historically the A52 used to start atNantwichinCheshire,but was renumbered to become theA500,theA531,and theB5500—the A500 sections later becoming unclassified.

Route

Newcastle-under-Lyme – Derby

The road starts asRyecroftfrom the roundabout with theA34and B5367. It is dual carriageway until the next roundabout, forming part of the Newcastle ring road, with the A527 and A53. It passes the leisure centre on the right, then veers right at a junction with the B5045 (which continues on the main road), where it enters the City ofStoke-on-Trent.AsHartshill Road,it passes theRoyal Stoke University Hospitaland enters the town ofStoke-upon-Trent.It takes two possible routes around the town centre, meeting theA500 D Road.It goes under theWest Coast Main LinenearStoke-on-Trent railway stationand becomesLeek Road,passing one campus (Leek Road) ofStaffordshire University.It meets theA50at a roundabout at Joiner's Square nearHanley.It meets the A5008 and A5009 (forLeek) at crossroads, where it turns right. There is a junction with the A5272 (for Berry Hill). AsWerrington RoadinBucknallit passes the formerMitchell High Schooland entersStaffordshireand the borough of theStaffordshire Moorlands.It passes through Ash Bank andStaffordshire,then meets the A520 (for Leek) at crossroads, then overlaps the A522 (forCheadle). It passes through the villages ofKingsleyand thenFroghallwhere it crosses over theChurnet Valley RailwayandCauldon Canal,before meeting the A521 and B5053 (forIpstones). It passes throughWhistonand meets the B5417 (forOakamoor). It meets the A523 (for Leek) and passes throughSwinscoe,then briefly entersEast Staffordshire.

The road entersDerbyshireand theDerbyshire Dalesdistrict where it crosses theRiver Doveover the Hanging Bridge near the junction with the B5032 atMayfieldclose to theQueens Arms Hotel.The £3 million 1.5-mile (2.4 km) Ashbourne Relief Road opened in October 1994. There is a roundabout for the exit to Ashbourne and one with the A515. The road climbs up the side of the Dove Valley, and there is a central overtaking/crawlerlane.The roundabout with the eastern exit to Ashbourne is near an old airfield which is now an industrial estate. The area around the next section of road to Derby has links withBonnie Prince Charlie.It passes throughBrailsfordand theRose and Crownand atKirk Langley,there is a junction with the B5020 forMickleover.

It passesMackworth,theMunday ArmsandMackworth Hotel,with part of theMackworth Estateto the south and Markeaton Park. Entering Derby asAshbourne Road,it meets the busyA38at a roundabout, andEssoMackworth Service Station.It passes theShellFriargategarage on the left which has now been closed down. From here to the dual-carriageway is a popularpub crawl,with many student residences close by for theUniversity of Derby,such as St Christopher's Court. Close by to the north is the new Markeaton campus of the university. The road splits into east and west sections, passing St John the Evangelist church on the left, with the easterly section beingAgard Streetand the westerly section beingFriargate.From the traffic lights at the eastern end of both, the road becomesFord Street,passing the Friargate Studios.

Derby – Nottingham

Brian Clough Way

It overlaps the £3.5 million (£58.3 million as of 2023),A601 Derby Inner Ring Road, which is calledSt Alkmunds Wayand was opened on 30 July 1972. It is used by 70,000 motorists daily as they pass underthe 2007 footbridgetowards Pentagon Island. From theRadio Derbybuilding (to the west of the city centre) to Nottingham, it is dual-carriageway. It crosses theRiver Derwent,the A601 leaves to the south, and it passes under theMidland Main LineasEastgate.There is thePentagon IslandGrade Separated Junction(GSJ) with theA61nearChaddesden.The westbound-direction is not grade-separated and meets the roundabout, thus causing many severe queues at rush-hour. NearSpondon,there is a large GSJ with theA5111Derby outer ring road. The £4.6 million (£24.9 million as of 2023),0.5-mile (0.8 km) Borrowash Bypass Extension opened on 29 May 1980 as well the £6 million (£32.5 million as of 2023),Nottingham Road Diversion, from the Pentagon Island toRaynesway.Both sections totalled 2.5 miles (4.0 km). 0.5 miles (0.8 km) before Borrowash, it enters theBorough of Erewash.

Further east, it is the main east–west route from Derby to Nottingham, connecting the two cities via the busy junction 25 of theM1at Sandiacre. The £250,000 3-mile (4.8 km) Borrowash Bypass opened in 1957, although the bridge at Ockbrook opened in 1969, from a roundabout with the A6005 to Hopwell Firs. The former route is partly the A6005. The 5-mile (8 km) £2 million (£51.2 million as of 2023),SandiacreStaplefordBypass opened in December 1964, being built two years before junction 25 of the M1 had been opened although all the bridges and roundabout were part of the bypass. It was the first major road project opened by the1964 Labour government.The former route is the B5010. It crosses the Nottingham section of theMidland Main Line,and theRiver ErewashandErewash Canal,enteringNottinghamshireand theBorough of Broxtowe.

Bardill's Islandroundabout provides a junction withToton Lane(B6003), which connects to bothStaplefordand theToton Lane Park & Ridesite that is linked to central Nottingham by theNottingham Express Transit(NET)tramway.The roundabout is also near theGeorge Spencer Academyand the garden centre after which it is named. The A52 then passes throughBramcoteat the roundabout with the A6007 next to Bramcote leisure centre and becomes a three-lane dual carriageway, however the left lane is a bus lane. There is a right-turn at traffic lights forWollatonRoad(B6006) forBeestonnear theNurserymanpub.

It enters the City of Nottingham at the A6464Prioryroundabout (Woodside Roadleading to the A6005) inLenton Abbeywith theShellPriorygarage on the right, and theWollaton Miller and Carter Steakhouseon the left onWollaton Valeroad. To the left isWollaton Parkand nearby to the south is theUniversity of Nottingham.The junction at theQueen's Medical Centrewith the A6514Middleton Boulevardwas originally a roundabout, but became a GSJ, costing £3.7 million in late 1983. It then turns right and follows Clifton Boulevard (Ring Road) (after just under 2 miles crossingClifton Bridgeover theRiver Trent) as far as the A60 roundabout, where it continues East towards the A1. The former route through Nottingham is now the A6200, then downAngel Row,Wheeler Gate,Lister Gatethen through what is now theBroadmarsh Centreand past therailway stationonCarrington Street,throughThe MeadowsasArkwright Streetto a point near the A60/A6011 junction, overTrent Bridgeand along the current A6520Radcliffe Road.South of here it follows the formerA614asClifton Boulevard.There is a junction forAbbey Street(A6005 – former A453) which was originally a much smaller temporary flyover, but was improved in June 1990 at a cost of £5.5 million, which is where the former A614 terminated. It crosses theBeeston Canaland Nottingham – Derby/Loughboroughrailway line and follows the Clifton Boulevard around the south of Nottingham. It overlaps theA453,then the A453 exits for theM1andCliftonnear theTexacoSilverdale Service StationandThe Becket School.

Clifton Bridges over the Trent

One of the bridges over theTrentat Clifton Bridge includes a section of the former B680 (which followed the route into Nottingham now used by the A453). The 275 ft east bridge opened in 1958, being officially opened byPrincess Alexandra, The Honourable Lady Ogilvy.The bridge was widened, with the west bridge, to dual-carriageway as the A614 as part of a1+1⁄4-mile (2.0 km) £3.2 million section, opening in 1972. This was the completion of the dual-carriageway Nottingham ring-road. It enters the borough ofRushcliffewhere it crosses the formerGreat Central Main Lineand meets theA60(forRuddingtonand the Nottingham SouthPremier Inn), then theA606at busy roundabouts. This section from the A606 roundabout, near the Wheatcroft Garden Centre, to theDunkirkjunction (current A6005, then the A453) – the Nottingham Ring Road – was opened in 1963 as mostly single carriageway. The section from Clifton Bridge to the A60 roundabout was dualled in December 1968. The £6 million 2-mile (3.2 km) section from Gamston to Lings Bar opened in September 1981 asGamston Lings Bar Road.It passes close toTollertonAirfield and a largeMorrisons(formerSafeway), and crosses theGrantham Canalmeeting the former route (A6011) at a busy roundabout near theBridgepub. The section from the QMC to the A606Wheatcroft Islandroundabout used to be the A614 until the Gamston section was opened. The former route of the A52 into Nottingham is now the A6200 and A6011.

Nottingham – Grantham

Eastern end of the Bingham bypass

Heading east asRadcliffe RoadwithBassingfieldto the right, the £25,000 (£788,150 as of 2023),dual-carriageway section from Holme House built in 1956 finishes at the start of theRadcliffe on Trentbypass asGrantham Road.There is theBPPierrepont Filling Stationjust before the turn-off for Radcliffe on Trent. This stretch hasSPECScameras along it. Close by is theHolme Pierrepont National Watersports Centre.The road goes pastUpper Saxondale,then meets theA46at the large Saxondale roundabout, which has theShellSaxondalegarage. The road runs roughly parallel with theNottingham-Grantham railwaybetween Radcliffe on Trent and Grantham. From the A46, the road heads east pastBinghamon the £2.6 million (£9.62 million as of 2023),2-mile (3.2 km)Binghambypass opened in December 1986. The road passes theMurcoKings Service Stationon the left. There is a left turn forScarrington,then it passes aHM Prison WhattonatWhatton-in-the Vale,near to where it crosses theRiver Smite.

Vale of Belvoir Inn

It passes theVale of Belvoirhotel, and afterEltonwhere it passes theManor Arms,it entersLeicestershire,the district ofMelton,and theVale of Belvoirat the start of theBottesfordbypass, which opened in February 1989 with an extremely wide concrete £3 million (£9.43 million as of 2023),3-mile (4.8 km) two-way road.

It passes byMustonand entersLincolnshireandSouth Kestevenat the crossing of Sewstern Lane (Viking Way) next to the popularMuston Gap,passing throughSedgebrook.Belvoir Castlecan be seen in the distance. The road climbs the steepMill HillnearBarrowby,crosses theA1and becomesBarrowby Road.The section of road from Radcliffe on Trent to Grantham was planned to become a dual-carriageway in the 1990s, but there are no plans at present.

It meets a roundabout withBarrowby Gate,next to theMuddle Go Nowhere,passing through Green Hill. At the bottom ofBarrowby Roadis a low-height railway bridge, which in 2005 was the most-hit railway bridge in the UK.Until only recently this busy trunk road was part of the High Street in Grantham; now it is diverted alongside theEast Coast Main LineonSankt AugustinWay,which is also theA607.

Muddle Go Nowherein Grantham

At the start ofSankt Augustin Way,the road passes anAsdaon the left. It meetsDysart Roadat traffic lights and turns left at a one way system ontoWharf Road,passing a largeMorrisonsstore andChurchillspub, then turning right at traffic lights ontoLondon Road,passingSainsburysand theReindeer Inn.The most sensible route around Grantham is to follow theA1fromBarrowbyand take the A607 exit into Grantham, although there is a low bridge (13') onSpringfield Road(another part of the A607), which was the UK's most-hit bridge in 2006.

There have been plans for an A52 bypass south of Grantham, which have many cycle-riding objectors. South of the town, it meets the B1174 at traffic lights near theSpotted Cow,with theTotalSt Leonards Service Stationon the left andPizza HutandMcDonald'son the right.

Grantham – Boston

This section of road is known locally asThe Ramper,a name from the turnpike era.

Somerby Hill in Grantham

From Grantham, which was the A52's original eastern end, the road continues asBridge End Roadpassing theWhite Lion,thenSomerby Hilleastwards, passing theShellSomerby Hill Service Stationon the left, rising up the valley of theRiver Withamto reach the ancientErmine StreetRoman roadat the B6403/B1176 roundabout, which it follows for about 0.5 miles (0.8 km). Ermine Street continues as the B6403 northwards at Cold Harbour. Traffic for Skegness may want to take theA153instead (via theSleafordbypass), as from Boston – Wainfleet, the traffic slows down. It followsHigh Dike,and there is a left turn forWelbyand a right turn forRopsley.

South Forty Foot Drain

There is a crossroads with the left forOasby.There is a right turn forBraceby,then just before a right turn forHaceby,the road entersNorth Kesteven.There are turnings forDemblebyandNewtonand passes throughScott Willoughby.It meets theA15at theThreekingham Barroundabout nearOsbournbybecomingHolland Road,and passes throughThreekinghamand crossesMareham Lane(a Roman road), with theHolland Road Service Stationon the right, where it re-enters South Kesteven. From here to the South-Forty Foot Drain (about 5 miles (8 km)), the road lies on the border of the districts of North Kesteven and South Kesteven. There are crossroads with the B1394 (forSwatonandHorbling), and the road meets the B1177 from nearbyBillingboroughat Bridge End, becomingBridge End Causeway.

Manor Farm Shop

AtDonington High Bridge,it enters the district ofSouth Hollandnext to theSloop Inn.It passes over theSleaford-Spalding railwayand atDoningtonthere is a roundabout with theA152(the former name of the A52 east of Grantham). It follows a 1-mile (1.6 km) bypass, which opened in the early 1990s, to the north becomingBicker Roadand there is a left turn forNorthorpe.It enters the borough ofBostonjust before the1+1⁄2-mile (2.4 km) bypass to the south ofBicker,which opened in the early 1990s, where it meets the B1181 and becomesDonington Road.It passes theTexacoBicker Bar Service Stationon the left at the roundabout with theA17.It meets a roundabout forSwinesheadand passes through Drayton, meets the B1391 asAbbey Lane,thenDrayton Road.AtBaythorpepassing the popular 2014 FARMA award-winning Manor Farm Shop Best UK small farm shop it becomesBoston Roadand the B1192 joins to the left at Kirton Holme. At the Poachers Hotel it becomesSwineshead Road.There are crossroads again with the B1192 (forHubbert's Bridgeto the left) at theFour Crossroads Innat Baker's Bridge. Near Boston, you will not find a straighter or flatter road, as the road follows the New Hammond Beck.

Sleaford Road in the west of Boston

It passesWyberton Fenand meets a roundabout with aTescosuperstore andB&Qon the left at Chain Bridge. The Hammer & Pincers pub is on the left just before a roundabout, where the main route follows to the left, and the straight-on direction is forWyberton.The Alban Retail Park is on the right before it crosses theSouth Forty-Foot Drainand railway at a level crossing, then meets the A1121 from the left at a mini-roundabout close to aPeugeot,CitroënandBMWgarage. It enters Boston asSleaford Roadalong a long straight avenue of trees, passing theShellBostongarage on the right.

There are crossroads forBrothertoft Road(A1137), which can be used to avoid the busy town centre, then a mini-roundabout withCarlton RoadbecomingQueen Street.There are crossroads, withAsdato the left, just before alevel crossingwith therailwaynear therailway station.There is a mini-roundabout withWest Streetto the left nearThe Eaglepub and it becomesLiquorpond Street.There is a retail park with aMcDonald'son the right. There are some crossroads withKing Street,then MarriottsMazdagarage on the left before a roundabout with the A16Spalding Road(which it overlaps through Boston).Some residentswant a bypass. An alternative for cars could be to take the B1192/B1184 through Hubbert's Bridge andSibsey,rejoining at Old Leake.

Boston – Mablethorpe

In Boston, it follows the inner relief road, where it becomesJohn Adams Way,which crosses the River Witham (where it istidal) on the £220,000 Haven Bridge, which opened in June 1966. It passes theEssoJohn Adams Way Service Stationon the right, close to two speed cameras in either direction and overshadowed by thefloodlightsofBoston United.There are traffic lights at a roundabout with the A1137/B1183 (forHorncastle), where the inner-relief road ends near theRed Cow Hotel.Boston Shopping Park is on the left, and the road becomesSpilsby Roadwhere it crosses the Maud Foster Drain] at Bargate Bridge nearMaud Foster Windmill.It passes Holy Trinity church on the left, and theMill Innwhich is close toBoston High School.The road has a roundabout with the A16 and becomesWainfleet Road.At theBurton Cornerroundabout, Skegness is signposted in the direction of the A16. It passes theBurton Houseon the right, then passes theBall House InnatWilloughby Hills.It crosses the Hobhole Drain at Haltoft End where it passes the Freiston Centre for Environmental Education and theCastle Inn.There are right turns forButterwickand it goes throughBeningtonbecomingMain Roadwhere it passes All Saints church and theAdmiral Nelson,thenLevertonwhere it passes St Helena's church. Near to Leverton Highgate is the Traveller's Rest cafe, andThree Horseshoes.It passes throughOld Leake,and meets the B1184 near The Giles School and passes theBricklayer's Armsand passes near to theAngel InninWrangle,then the primary school towards Wrangle Lowgate.

The section between Boston and Skegness has had straighter sections since the late 1990s. Just before a bend to the right where it becomesHolland LanethenMain Road,it enters the district ofEast Lindsey.There are left turns forFriskney.It then passes through Friskney Tofts, where it passes theBarley Mownear Friskey Eaudyke then Wainfleet Tofts. It passes near toWainfleet St Mary(near the home ofBatemans Brewery) which is now bypassed, and meets the B1195, then crosses the Steeping River and over a level crossing. There is a left turn forCroftand it passes the Pine Trees Leisure Park. Entering Skegness asWainfleet Road,it passes Skegness Retail Park with aPizza Hutand Skegness Hospital. It meets the B1451 roundabout in the centre of Skegness near aMorrisons(formerSafeway) superstore and therailway stationbecomingRoman Bank.After the junction with the A158 (from Lincoln), it is no longer a trunk road, and passes theTotalNorth End Service Stationon the right.

Mablethorpe beach

North of Skegness, it meets Seathorne near the primary school,Garden Citypub, Skegness Water Leisure Park, Butlins and Fantasy Island. It passes throughIngoldmellsand the primary school asSkegness Road,heading slightly westwards throughHogsthorpeasSouth EndthenHigh Street.At Mumby, it meets the B1449 asStation Roadand passes theSt Thomas of Canterburychurch andRed Lion,with a left turn forCumberworth.Passing throughHuttoftthere is the primary school and theAxe and Cleaver InnonMumby RoadandSutton Road.Next is Sandilands and it reachesSutton-on-SeaasHuttoft Road,passing the primary school and meets the A1111 at a roundabout, becomingTrusthorpe Road.AtTrusthorpeasSutton Road,it passes some radio masts. It reachesMablethorpeasSeaholme Roadand ends at the junction ofVictoria Roadand theHigh Street(A1104).

External links

Template:Attached KML/A52 road

KML is from Wikidata

• SABRE page on the A52
• M1 to Nottingham