A5137

A5137 is a primary A road in England linking Stafford and Readmore via a corridor serving market towns, industrial estates, and rural parishes. The route provides connections between regional arteries and local lanes, forming an east–west link used by commuter, freight, and leisure traffic. It intersects with major transport routes and traverses landscapes that include built-up urban fringes, former industrial sites, and conservation areas.

Route description

The road begins at a junction with the A34 south of Stafford and proceeds south-east through suburbs adjoining Holy Trinity Church, Stafford and the Staffordshire County Showground precinct. It passes the Weeping Cross neighborhood before crossing the West Coast Main Line corridor near the Stafford station approaches and skirting the edge of the River Sow floodplain. Continuing, the A5137 runs past the former Talbot Inn hamlet into the civil parish of Stapenhill and toward the market town of Gnosall, where it intersects with the A518 and runs close to the Gnosall Parish Church. Beyond Gnosall the route traverses former agricultural commons, passes the Wolverhampton–Shrewsbury canal feeder and approaches the industrial fringe of Staffordshire where it meets the M6 spur carriageways via a roundabout near the Huntbach estate. The southern section enters the commuter belt serving Tettenhall and terminates at a junction with the B5035 on the edge of Readmore.

History

The alignment dates from statutory road numbering established in 1935, following older turnpike roads created in the late 18th century that linked Stafford markets to Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. 19th-century cartography shows predecessors of the A5137 passing close to coaching milestones recorded in The Old Coach Road Atlas and skirting canal construction associated with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal era. During the interwar period the road received its classification as part of a nationwide scheme that included the A34 and A518. Post-war improvements in the 1950s and 1960s added bypassed sections to reduce congestion through Gnosall and to accommodate traffic generated by nearby RAF Stafford logistics works. The late 20th century saw resurfacing and realignment works concurrent with regional motorway expansion, including the opening of sections of the M6 which altered traffic patterns on the A5137. Heritage conservation efforts in the 21st century have preserved roadside features linked to the Victorian era while accommodating modern safety upgrades.

Junctions and notable structures

Key junctions include the grade-separated interchange with the A34 at the northern terminus, the at-grade roundabout with the A518 in Gnosall, and the arterial link near the M6 junction 14 approaches. Notable structures along the route comprise a 19th-century stone bridge over the River Sow listed by the Historic England archive, a cast-iron milestone near the former Talbot Inn identified by the Victoria County History, and a red-brick former turnpike toll cottage recorded by the National Trust regional inventory. Adjacent transport infrastructure includes a level crossing on the West Coast Main Line and freight sidings associated with the Staffordshire County Council industrial rail logistics hub. Several conservation area designations administered by Stafford Borough Council are contiguous with the A5137 corridor.

Traffic and usage

Traffic on the A5137 comprises mixed flows: commuter movements between Stafford and suburban settlements, heavy goods vehicles serving distribution parks linked to the M6 and local manufacturing sites, and seasonal tourist traffic attracted to heritage assets promoted by Visit Staffordshire. Peak weekday counts are concentrated at the northern and central junctions, with measured average daily traffic volumes influenced by modal shifts recorded in regional transport plans produced by Staffordshire County Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority. Road safety audits commissioned by Highways England predecessors highlighted collision clusters at the A518 junction, prompting targeted interventions. Public transport services operated by Arriva Midlands and local community bus operators use parts of the route for scheduled and demand-responsive services connecting to Stafford station and rural parishes.

Maintenance and future developments

Routine maintenance responsibility rests with Staffordshire County Council, with capital upgrades funded through combined bids to the Department for Transport and local growth funds administered by the Midlands Engine partnership. Recent schemes have included carriageway resurfacing, drainage improvements addressing issues linked to the River Sow floodplain, and junction remodelling to enhance HGV access to the Huntbach industrial estate. Proposed future developments under the regional transport strategy envisage improved cycle and pedestrian provision coordinated with NHS greenway initiatives and potential safety enhancements informed by collision data from Staffordshire Police. Planning applications by private developers for warehousing near the southern terminus may trigger further junction capacity works and environmental impact assessments overseen by Stafford Borough Council.

Category:Roads in Staffordshire