View source for A53 road

{{short description|Primary route in northern England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox road
| country = GBR
| type = A
| route = 53
| map = [[File:A53 road map.png|200px]]
| map_custom = yes
| image = The Stake Gutter milepost in its setting - geograph.org.uk - 1381411.jpg
| length_mi = 55.1
| length_ref = <ref name="Mile"/>
| history = 1920s (Constructed)
| direction_a = North
| terminus_a = {{jct|country=GBR|A|6|name1= }} at [[Buxton]]<br><small>{{coord|53.259216|-1.906576|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=A53, northern terminus}}</small>
| direction_b = South
| terminus_b = {{jct|country=GBR|A|49|A|5112|A|5124|name1= }} in [[Shrewsbury]]<br><small>{{coord|52.746671|-2.717386|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=A53, northern terminus}}</small>
| junction = {{jct|country=GBR|A|54|name1= }} in Buxton<br>
{{jct|country=GBR|A|500|name1= }} in [[Newcastle-under-Lyme]]<br>
{{jct|country=GBR|A|34|name1= }} in Newcastle-under-Lyme<br>
{{jct|country=GBR|A|51|name1= }} near [[Baldwin's Gate]]<br>
{{jct|country=GBR|A|41|name1= }} at [[Ternhill]]
| counties = [[Derbyshire]]<br>[[Staffordshire]]<br>[[Shropshire]]
| destinations = [[Leek, Staffordshire|Leek]]<br>[[Stoke-on-Trent]] <br> [[Newcastle-under-Lyme]]
| previous_type = A
| next_type = A
| previous_route = 52
| next_route = 54
}}

The '''A53''' is a [[primary route]] in the English Midlands, that runs from [[Buxton]] in [[Derbyshire]] to [[Shrewsbury]] in [[Shropshire]].

==Route of Road==
The A53 begins in the centre of Buxton off the [[A6 road (Great Britain)|A6 road]], before meeting the [[A515 road]] at a [[roundabout]]. Out of the town, it has a junction with the [[A54 road (Great Britain)|A54 road]] (to [[Congleton]]) before continuing in a south-westerly direction. It crosses the border into the county of [[Staffordshire]], and after leaving the [[Peak District]] travels through the town of [[Leek, Staffordshire|Leek]]. It meets the [[A523 road]] (to [[Macclesfield]]) and the [[A520 road]] (to [[Stone, Staffordshire|Stone]]). It crosses the [[Caldon Canal]] and travels through the [[Stoke-on-Trent]] conurbation, including [[Hanley, Staffordshire|Hanley]] and [[Newcastle-under-Lyme]], where it meets a number of major routes such as the [[A50 road]] (to [[Derby]]), the [[A500 road|A500 "D-Road,"]] the Winchester-Salford [[A34 road|A34]] and the [[A525 road]] (to [[Whitchurch, Shropshire|Whitchurch]]). It crosses the [[M6 motorway]] and goes through the village of [[Ashley, Staffordshire|Ashley]]. It crosses the border into Shropshire, and [[bypass route|bypasses]] the town of [[Market Drayton]], and passes the [[Müller (company)|Müller]] factory. It meets the [[A41 road (Great Britain)|A41 road]] (to [[Wolverhampton]]) at a roundabout, then meets the [[A442 road]] (to [[Telford]]). It goes through the village of [[Shawbury]], before it terminates at its junction with the [[A49 road (Great Britain)|A49 road]], {{convert|3|mi}} north-east of Shrewsbury town centre at [[Battlefield, Shrewsbury|Battlefield]]. The 1.9 km section to the south-west of Shawbury was bypassed in the 1950s - the original A53 road runs adjacent to Shawbury Heath and is now an unclassified country lane. 

The road is single carriageway apart from a {{convert|1|mi|adj=on}} section of [[dual carriageway]] between the A500 and Stoke-on-Trent City Centre (Hanley).

== Road safety ==
The A53 has been reported as a high risk road for several years. According to a report done by the Road Safety Foundation for the European Road Assessment Programme (EuroRAP), the A53 is one of the most dangerous roads in the UK.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6235058.stm "'Most dangerous' roads revealed"]. [[BBC News|bbc.com]]. 25 June 2007.</ref>

In June 2008, a {{convert|12|mi|adj=on}} stretch of the A53 between Leek and Buxton was named as the most dangerous road in the West Midlands.<ref>[http://www.eurorap.org/library/pdfs/20080627_GB_High_RISK_Regional.pdf Highest risk road sections in each UK Government Office Region (2004–2006)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210151407/http://www.eurorap.org/library/pdfs/20080627_GB_High_RISK_Regional.pdf |date=10 February 2012 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=158767&command=displayContent&sourceNode=158593&contentPK=20982178&folderPk=87654&pNodeId=158324 A53 IS WEST MIDLAND'S MOST DANGEROUS ROAD]{{dead link|date=September 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> This single carriageway stretch had fourteen fatal and serious injury collisions between 2003 and 2005, and was rated as red—the second highest risk band—in the [[EuroRAP]] report publish by the Road Safety Foundation. The challenging character of this section of road makes it attractive to [[motorcyclists]].

==Junction list==
{{GBRinttop|length_ref=<ref name="Mile">{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/maps/dir/53.2592427,-1.9065132/52.7462098,-2.7176697/@52.7484955,-2.7212235,15.92z/data=!4m4!4m3!2m1!1b1!3e0!5m1!1e4?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDMxOS4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D|title=Harley's Remedies - Holistic Therapist, Buxton SK17 7DJ, United Kingdom to Battlefield Roundabout, Shrewsbury SY4 3EQ, UK|publisher=[[Google Maps]]|access-date=26 March 2025}}</ref>}}
{{GBRint
|county=Derbyshire
|cspan=4
|location=Buxton
|lspan=4
|mile=0.0
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|6|A|515|A|619|to2=yes|name1=Fairfield Road / Bakewell Road|city1=Stockport|city2=Manchester|city3=Dove Holes|city4=Chapel-en-le-Frith|location5=[[Matlock, Derbyshire|Matlock]]|city6=Derby|city7=Bakewell|location8=[[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]]|location9=[[Chesterfield, Derbyshire|Chesterfield]]}}
|notes=Northern terminus
}}
{{GBRint
|mile=0.4
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|515|dir1=south|name1=Terrace Road|location1=[[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]]}}
|notes=Northern terminus of A515
}}
{{GBRint
|mile=0.5
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|5004|dir1=north|name1=Manchester Road|city1=Whaley Bridge}}
|notes=Southern terminus of A5004
}}
{{GBRint
|mile=2.0
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|54|A|537|dir1=west|to2=yes|name1=Macclesfield Main Road|city1=Congleton|city2=Macclesfield}}
|notes=Eastern terminus of A54
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|county=Staffordshire
|cspan=15
|location_special=[[Leek, Staffordshire|Leek]]
|lspan=3
|mile=12.3
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|523|dir1=south|location1=[[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]]|city2=Derby}}
|notes=Northern terminus of A523 concurrency
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|mile=12.7
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|523|dir1=north|name1=Church Street|city1=Macclesfield}}
|notes=Southern terminus of A523 concurrency
}}
{{GBRint
|mile=13.0
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|520|dir1=south|name1=Compton|location1=[[Stone, Staffordshire|Stone]]}}
|notes=Information signed northbound only; northern terminus of A520
}}
{{GBRint
|location=Baddeley Green
|mile=19.1
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|road|Baddeley Green Lane ([[A5009 road|A5009]] south)|location1=[[Milton, Staffordshire|Milton]]|city2=Stoke-on-Trent|location3=[[Stoke-upon-Trent|Stoke]]}}
|notes=Information signed northbound only; northern terminus of A5009
}}
{{GBRint
|location_special=[[Smallthorne]]–<br>[[Sneyd Green]]<br>boundary
|mile=21.0
|mile2=21.1
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|5272|city1=Hanley}}
|notes=
}}
{{GBRint
|location=Cobridge
|mile=22.0
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|50|A|52|A|527|name1=Waterloo Road|to2=yes|location1=[[Stoke-on-Trent|City centre]]|location2=[[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]]|city3=Warrington|city4=Kidsgrove|city5=Congleton|location6=[[Fenton, Staffordshire|Fenton]]|location7=[[Longton, Staffordshire|Longton]]|city8=Burslem|location9=[[Tunstall, Staffordshire|Tunstall]]}}
|notes=Kidsgrove, Fenton, Longton, Burslem and Tunstall signed southbound only, Warrington northbound only
}}
{{GBRint
|location_special=[[Etruria, Staffordshire|Etruria]]
|mile=22.5
|mile2=22.8
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|5010|dir1=east|location1=[[Stoke-on-Trent|City centre]]}}
|notes=Junction; western terminus of A5010
}}
{{GBRint
|location=Newcastle-under-Lyme
|lspan=5
|mile=23.3
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|500|M|6|A|50|A|34|to2=yes|city1=Uttoxeter|city2=Nantwich|city3=Congleton}}
|notes=To A34, Nantwich and Congleton signed northbound only; junction on A500
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|mile=24.2
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|52|dir1=east|location1=[[Stoke-on-Trent|Stoke]]|location2=[[Ashbourne, Derbyshire|Ashbourne]]}}
|notes=Ashbourne signed southbound only; northern termminus of A52 concurrency
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|mile=24.4
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|road|Ryecroft ([[A52 road|A52]] west)|A|527|A|34|A|500|dir2=north|name2=Queen Street|city1=Nantwich|city2=Congleton|location3=[[Tunstall, Staffordshire|Tunstall]]|city4=Biddulph}}
|notes=To A34 and Congleton signed southbound only, To A500, Tunstall and Biddulph northbound only; southern terminus of A52 concurrency; southern terminus of A527
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|mile=24.7
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|34|A|519|M|6|dir1=south|dir2=south|to3=yes|name1=London Road|name2=Brook Lane|location1=[[Stone, Staffordshire|Stone]]|city2=Eccleshall}}
|notes=A519 and Eccleshall signed southbound only; northern terminus of A34 concurrency; northern terminus of A519
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|mile=24.8
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|34|M|6|A|500|dir1=north|to2=yes|dir2=north|name1=Lower Street|city1=Congleton|city2=Nantwich}}
|notes=Southern terminus of A34 concurrency
}}
{{GBRint
|location_special=[[Whitmore, Staffordshire|Whitmore]]
|mile=27.8
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|5182|M|6|dir1=east|to2=yes|name1=Trentham Road|city1=Stoke-on-Trent|location2=[[Trentham, Staffordshire|Trentham]]}}
|notes=Western terminus of A5182
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|location_special=[[Maer, Staffordshire|Maer]]
|lspan=2
|mile=31.6
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|51|M|6|A|34|dir1=southeast|to2=yes|dir2=south|location1=[[Stone, Staffordshire|Stone]]|city2=Stafford}}
|notes=Northern terminus of A51 concurrency
}}
{{GBRint
|type=concur
|mile=31.8
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|51|dir1=northwest|city1=Nantwich|city2=Woore}}
|notes=Southern terminus of A51 concurrency
}}
{{GBRint
|county=Shropshire
|cspan=4
|location_special=[[Market Drayton]]–<br>[[Adderley]]<br>boundary
|mile=38.9
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|529|name1=Adderley Road|city1=Market Drayton|city2=Audlem}}
|notes=
}}
{{GBRint
|location=Ternhill
|mile=41.9
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|41|city1=Wolverhampton|location2=[[Newport, Wales|Newport]]|location3=[[Whitchurch, Shropshire|Whitchurch]]}}
|notes=
}}
{{GBRint
|location=Hodnet
|mile=45.2
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|442|road|Shrewsbury Street|dir1=south|city1=Telford|city2=Hodnet}}
|notes=Northern terminus of A442
}}
{{GBRint
|location=Shrewsbury
|mile=55.1
|road={{Jct|country=GBR|A|49|A|5112|A|5124|A|5|M|54|A|458|A|528|dir1=south|dir2=west|to3=yes|name1=Shrewsbury Road|name2=Battlefield Road|city1=Leominster|city2=Telford|city3=Bridgnorth|city4=Welshpool|location5=[[Whitchurch, Shropshire|Whitchurch]]|city6=Shrewsbury|location7=[[Ellesmere, Shropshire|Ellesmere]]}}
|notes=Southern terminus; northern terminus of A5112; eastern terminus of A5124
}}
{{jctbtm|keys=concur}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Attached KML|display=title,inline}}
* [http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/roadlists/f99/53.shtml SABRE page on the A53]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120210151331/http://www.eurorap.org/gb2008 EuroRAP GB Tracking Survey Results 2008]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080704035202/http://www.roadsafetyfoundation.com/ Road Safety Foundation]

{{GB A road zone 5}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:5-0053}}
[[Category:Roads in England]]
[[Category:Roads in Derbyshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Shropshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Staffordshire]]
[[Category:Transport in Stoke-on-Trent]]