A38

A38. The A38 is a major A-class trunk road in England, running southwest to northeast for approximately 309 miles from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It serves as a vital arterial route connecting key regional centres such as Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, and Derby, traversing diverse landscapes from the Dartmoor National Park to the industrial Midlands. Historically significant, it follows the course of several ancient routes, including parts of the Roman Fosse Way, and has been modernized extensively since its designation in the Ministry of Transport's 1922 road numbering scheme.

Overview

As one of the longest A-roads in the country, the A38 functions as a critical corridor for both local and long-distance traffic, often running parallel to or acting as an alternative to the M5 motorway for much of its length. It passes through or skirts eight counties, linking the South West Peninsula with the East Midlands, and intersects with numerous other major routes including the A30, A380, and A50. The road's character changes dramatically along its route, from the winding, topographically challenging sections across Dartmoor to the multi-lane, grade-separated expressway sections known as the Devon Expressway and the Burton upon Trent bypass.

Route description

Beginning at its southwestern terminus in Bodmin, the road heads east, passing Liskeard before climbing onto the granite uplands of Dartmoor. It serves Plymouth via the Tamarside area, crossing the River Tamar into Devon using the Tamarside crossing. The section between Plymouth and Exeter is designated the Devon Expressway, a high-standard dual carriageway. Beyond Exeter, it continues northeast, passing near Tiverton and Taunton before meeting the M5 motorway at Bridgwater. It then runs concurrently with the M5 motorway through the Somerset Levels, diverging at Almondsbury Interchange near Bristol to head north towards Gloucester. From Gloucester, it proceeds through the Severn Valley past Tewkesbury and into the West Midlands, serving Bromsgrove and Droitwich Spa. The route continues north through Worcestershire and Staffordshire, bypassing Lichfield and Burton upon Trent before entering Derbyshire. Its final stretch runs past Derby and through the Peak District fringe to its terminus at Mansfield.

History

The road's alignment incorporates stretches of much older thoroughfares, most notably the Roman Fosse Way between Exeter and Lincoln, and medieval coaching routes. Its modern identity was cemented with the 1922 road numbering revision, absorbing existing roads like the Bodmin to Exeter turnpike. Major 20th-century improvements included the construction of the Plymouth bypass in the 1930s and the significant post-war upgrades creating the Devon Expressway during the 1970s and 1980s. The opening of the M5 motorway relieved traffic pressure but also led to the A38's reclassification for much of its length. Key engineering projects include the Tamarside bridges and the complex Almondsbury Interchange, a notable example of grade-separated highway design.

Major junctions

The A38 features numerous significant intersections along its length. From the southwest, key junctions include the meeting with the A30 at Bodmin, the interchange with the A380 at Kingskerswell for Torquay, and the junction with the M5 motorway at Exeter. Further north, it intersects with the M4 motorway and M5 motorway at the Almondsbury Interchange, one of the first "spaghetti junctions" in the UK. In the Midlands, major junctions include the intersection with the A50 at Sudbury, providing a link to the M1 motorway, and the junction with the A61 at Derby. The route terminates at a junction with the A60 on the outskirts of Mansfield.

Cultural references

The A38 has been featured in various cultural works, often as a symbol of travel or a backdrop to regional life. It is mentioned in the song "Driving in My Car" by the band Madness and appears in episodes of the classic television series Doctor Who. The road's dramatic moorland section features in the Poldark novels by Winston Graham and their subsequent television adaptations. Furthermore, the annual Tour of Britain cycling race has frequently used stretches of the A38 as part of its route through Devon and Cornwall, showcasing the challenging terrain to a national audience.

Category:Roads in England Category:Transport in Cornwall Category:Transport in Devon