View source for M53 motorway

{{Short description|Motorway in England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{infobox road
|country=GBR
|type=M
|route=53
|maint=[[National Highways]]
|map={{switcher
  | {{maplink-road |from=M53 motorway.map}}M53 highlighted in blue{{hr}}
  | Show interactive map
  | [[File:M53 motorway in North West England map.svg|frameless|x323px]]<br />Shown in North West England{{hr}}
  | Show map of North West England
  | [[File:M53 motorway (Great Britain) map.svg|frameless|x323px]]<br />Shown with the UK motorway network{{hr}}
  | Show UK motorways map
  }}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=
|photo=M53, Storeton 130909.JPG
|photo_notes=Looking north near [[Storeton]], 2009
|length_mi=18.9
|direction_a=North 
|direction_b=South
|terminus_a=[[Bidston]]<br />{{coord|53.41|-3.08|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=M53 motorway (northern terminus)}}
|counties=[[Merseyside]], [[Cheshire]]
|destinations={{plainlist|
* [[Wallasey]]
* [[Birkenhead]]
* [[Ellesmere Port]]
* [[Chester]]
}}
|terminus_b=[[Hoole Village]]<br />{{coord|53.21|-2.86|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline|name=M53 motorway (southern terminus)}}
|previous_type=M
|next_type=M
|previous_route=50
|previous_dab=Great Britain
|next_route=54
|established=1972
|history={{plainlist|
* Opened: 1972
* Completed: 1982
}}
|junction=[[File:Junction 11.svg|1000x20px]] [[File:UK-Motorway-M56.svg|1000x20px]]<br />J11 → [[M56 motorway]]
}}

The '''M53''' is an {{convert|18.9|mi|km|1|adj=mid|-long}} [[motorway]] in the [[Metropolitan Borough of Wirral]], [[Merseyside]] and the [[Borough status in the United Kingdom|borough]] of [[Cheshire West and Chester]], [[Cheshire]] on the [[Wirral Peninsula]] in England.<ref name="cbrd">{{cite web |url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m53/ |title=Motorway Database: M53 |access-date=12 August 2008 |publisher=CBRD}}</ref> It is also referred to as the '''Mid Wirral Motorway'''.<ref name="iht">{{cite web |url=http://motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/en/motorways/motorway-listing/the-midwirral-motorway-m53/a55-extension-to-the-welsh-border.cfm |title=The Mid-Wirral Motorway M53 and A55 Extension to the Welsh Border |access-date=22 April 2017 |publisher=The Motorway Archive |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423062849/http://motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/en/motorways/motorway-listing/the-midwirral-motorway-m53/a55-extension-to-the-welsh-border.cfm |archive-date=23 April 2017 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> It runs between the [[Kingsway Tunnel]], at [[Wallasey]] in the north, and the [[A55 road|A55]] at [[Chester]].<ref name="cbrd"/>

The main reason for the motorway was to provide a through route to the new [[Kingsway Tunnel|Mersey Road Tunnel, Kingsway]], which was built at the same time. Part of this motorway was originally the M531.

==Route==
[[File:Benkid77 M53 200709.JPG|thumb|Looking northwards, midway between junctions 3 and 4 at ''[[Storeton]]'']]
Starting at the northern end, the motorway starts in [[Wallasey]] at the exit slip roads from the Kingsway Tunnel from Liverpool. It loops round the north west of [[Birkenhead]] and then runs south as a dual three-lane route between [[Upton, Merseyside|Upton]], [[Woodchurch, Merseyside|Woodchurch]] in the west and [[Prenton]]. From junctions 1 to 3 it runs parallel to the [[Borderlands Line|Borderlands railway line]]. It crosses this line south of junction 3. From this junction it proceeds south to the west of [[Bebington]] through junction 4 and then further south for {{convert|4|mi|km}} (where it crosses the [[Wirral Line|Wirral railway line]]), before narrowing to dual two-lane<ref>,{{cite web|title=CBRD Motorway Database-M53 Exit List|url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m53/exitlist|website=crdb.co.uk|publisher=Chris Marshall|access-date=22 April 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423064756/http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m53/exitlist|archive-date=23 April 2017}}</ref> and turning sharply to the east. At junction 5, traffic for Wales can take the [[A41 road|A41]], [[A550 road|A550]] and [[A494 road|A494]] to join the [[A55 road|A55]] near [[Ewloe]]. The road passes north and then east of [[Hooton, Cheshire|Hooton]], then to the east of [[Overpool]] and [[Ellesmere Port#Notable people|Wolverham]] and with [[Ellesmere Port]] to the west.

South of junction 10 the route enters a more [[rural]] setting, passing under the [[M56 motorway]] at junction 11. Finally, it heads south and becomes the A55 [[North Wales]] Expressway at junction 12.

==History==
This motorway was originally two separate projects, the M53 and M531. The M53 was originally proposed to run from the [[Kingsway Tunnel]] to [[Backford]].<ref name="ma">{{cite web|title=M53. The Mid-Wirral Motorway|url=http://motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/en/motorways/motorway-listing/the-midwirral-motorway-m53/|website=The Motorway Archive|publisher=The Motorway Archive Trust|access-date=22 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170423062846/http://motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/en/motorways/motorway-listing/the-midwirral-motorway-m53/|archive-date=23 April 2017|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The M531 would have run from a point just west of the current junction 5 and provided a connection with the M56 for eastbound travel.

When the M53 was first planned in the early 1960s, it was designed as a route to connect the two [[River Mersey|Mersey]] road tunnels with the A55 trunk road on the [[Wales|Welsh]] border, giving Liverpool and the rest of Merseyside a direct link with [[Chester]] and the towns on the [[North Wales]] coast.

In the event, the A55 link was never built and instead the M531 (by-passing the eastern side of Chester) was incorporated into the M53.<ref name="cbrd-hist">{{cite web|last=Marshall |first=Chris |title=CBRD » Histories » The M53 |url=http://www.cbrd.co.uk/histories/m53/ |work=CBRD |access-date=26 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514035622/http://www.cbrd.co.uk/histories/m53/ |archive-date=14 May 2011 }}</ref>

===M531===
The first section of the M531 was built to improve access to the [[Vauxhall Ellesmere Port]] facility.  It was opened in 1968 as a non-designated road.<ref name="ma" /> Subsequently this road was extended further south to meet the [[A5117 road|A5117]] and was designated as the M531. In March 1981, the M531 was lengthened to meet the M56 and at this stage the whole route was redesignated as the M53.

===M53===
Construction on the M53 started in 1969.<ref name="LE">{{cite news|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/story-m53-how-mid-wirral-14081028|title=The story of the M53 - how the mid-Wirral motorway was built|work=Liverpool Echo|first=Lorna|last=Hughes|date=26 December 2017|accessdate=18 March 2021}}</ref> It was to be built in stages as part of a strategic route to North Wales for traffic from [[Merseyside]]. The route to North Wales was unresolved as there was even an option to run due west from south of junction 4 and cross the River Dee on a barrage. This first section from the tunnel to junction 5, where it connected straight into the Vauxhall Motors road, was opened by [[Philip Lever, 3rd Viscount Leverhulme|Lord Leverhulme]] in a ceremony at Hooton on 1 February 1972.<ref name="LE" /> A junction was partially built to allow extension of the motorway further south west, around {{convert|1|mi|km}} west of junction 5. The unbuilt motorway would have provided a bypass of the [[A41 road|A41]] and would likely have terminated on the M56,<ref>{{cite hansard| url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm199293/cmhansrd/1993-07-23/Writtens-1.html |house=House of Commons|title=Written Answers to Questions|date= 23 July 1993 |column=403}}</ref> though exactly where is unknown. The unfinished junction for this extension has now been demolished.

The final section of the M53 provided a link to Chester from the M56 and was opened in 1982. No plans are known to exist to complete the originally planned M53.<ref name="cbrd-hist" /> {{dead link|date=April 2017}}

===Dates===
* Junctions 1 to 5 were opened in 1972
* Junctions 5 to 8 were redesignated as motorway in 1974 as part of the M531<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.iht.org/motorway/m53mwstat.htm |title=The Motorway Archive – M53 Opening Dates |publisher=Institution of Highways and Transportation |access-date=24 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070818130650/http://www.iht.org/motorway/m53mwstat.htm |archive-date=18 August 2007 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>
* Junctions 8 to 10 opened in 1975 as part of the M531
* Junctions 10 to 11 were opened in 1981
* Junctions 11 to 12 were opened in 1982

==Incidents==
===Coach crash===
{{main|M53 motorway coach crash}}
On 29 September 2023, a coach overturned and crashed in the M53 motorway coach crash. Jessica Baker, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, and the driver, Stephen Shrimpton, both died in the crash. <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/23823494.m53-crash-coach-driver-14-year-old-schoolgirl-killed/|title=M53 crash: Coach driver and 15-year-old schoolgirl killed|website=The Herald|date=2023-09-29|access-date=2023-09-29|author=Craig Williams}}</ref>

==Junctions==
{{RJL|date=December 2021}}

{| border=1 cellpadding=2 style="margin-left:1em; margin-bottom: 1em;  border-collapse: collapse; " class="wikitable"
|- align="center" bgcolor="#0079C1" style="color: white;"
| colspan="6" | '''M53 motorway junctions'''
|- align="center" bgcolor="000000" style="color: white"
| mile
| km
| Northbound exits (B carriageway)
| Junction
| Southbound exits (A carriageway)
|- style="text-align:center;"
|0.0
|0.0
| ''End of motorway [[File:Mauritius Road Signs - Information Sign - End of Motorway.svg|x20px]]<br>Road continues as'' [[Kingsway Tunnel|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''Wallasey Tunnel'''</span>]] ''towards [[Liverpool]]''
| rowspan=3| J1
| [[Birkenhead]], [[New Brighton, Merseyside|New Brighton]], [[Wallasey]] [[A5139 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A5139'''</span>]] [[A554 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''(A554)'''</span>]]<br>''Non-motorway traffic''
|- align='center'
|
|
| [[Birkenhead Docks|Birkenhead]] [[File:UK traffic sign symbol S34.2.svg|x12px]]{{Cref2|Note 1}} [[A5139 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A5139'''</span>]]
| ''Start of motorway'' [[File:UK motorway symbol.svg|x20px]]
|- align='center'
|
|
| [[Wallasey]], [[Birkenhead]] [[A554 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A554'''</span>]]
| 
|- style="text-align:center;"
|6.5
|10.5
| [[Hoylake]], [[West Kirby]] [[A551 road|<span style="color:white; background:#0079C1">'''(A551)'''</span>]]
| J2
| [[Hoylake]], [[West Kirby]] [[A551 road|<span style="color:white; background:#0079C1">'''(A551)'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|8.6
|13.8
| [[Birkenhead]] [[A552 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A552'''</span>]]
| J3
| [[Birkenhead]], [[Heswall]] [[A552 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A552'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|11.7
|18.8
| [[Clatterbridge]], [[Heswall]], [[Bebington]] [[A5137 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A5137'''</span>]]
| J4
| [[Bebington]], [[Bromborough]], [[Clatterbridge]], [[Neston]] [[A5137 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A5137'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|15.8
|25.4
| [[Birkenhead]], [[Queensferry, Flintshire|Queensferry]] [[A41 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A41'''</span>]]
| J5
| [[NORTH WALES]], [[Queensferry, Flintshire|Queensferry]], [[Eastham, Merseyside|Eastham]] [[A41 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A41'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|rowspan=2 | 16.2
|rowspan=2 | 26.1
|  ''Entering [[Merseyside]]''
|rowspan=2 | J6
| [[Vauxhall Ellesmere Port|Vauxhall]] (Cars Only), [[Eastham Oil Terminal]]
|- align='center'
| [[Vauxhall Ellesmere Port|Vauxhall]] (Cars Only), [[Eastham Oil Terminal]]
|  ''Entering [[Cheshire]]''
|- align='center'
|17.5
|28.2
| [[Overpool]], Whitby, North Road Industrial Estate [[B5132 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''B5132'''</span>]]
| J7
| [[Overpool]], Whitby, North Road Industrial Estate [[B5132 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''B5132'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|18.3
|29.5
| [[Netherpool]] and Rossmore Industrial Estates, [[Ellesmere Port Dock|Docks]]
| J8
| [[Netherpool]] and Rossmore Industrial Estates, [[Ellesmere Port Dock|Docks]]
|- align='center'
|19.1
|30.7
| [[Ellesmere Port]] (Centre), [[National Waterways Museum|<span style="color:white; background:#794400">'''Boat Museum'''</span>]] [[A5032 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A5032'''</span>]]
| J9
| [[Ellesmere Port]] (Centre), [[Stanlow Refinery|Stanlow]], [[National Waterways Museum|<span style="color:white; background:#794400">'''Boat Museum'''</span>]] [[A5032 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A5032'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|20.9
|33.7
| [[Queensferry, Flintshire|Queensferry]], [[Stanlow Refinery|Stanlow]] [[A5117 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A5117'''</span>]]
| J10
| [[Queensferry, Flintshire|Queensferry]], [[Stanlow Refinery|Stanlow]] [[A5117 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A5117'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|21.6
|34.8
| [[Runcorn]], [[Liverpool John Lennon Airport|Liverpool]] {{rail-interchange|air}}, [[Warrington]], [[M6 motorway|<span style="color:white; background:#0079C1">'''(M6)'''</span>]],
[[Manchester]] [[M56 motorway|<span style="color:white; background:#0079C1">'''M56'''</span>]]
| J11
| [[Runcorn]], [[Warrington]], [[M6 motorway|<span style="color:white; background:#0079C1">'''(M6)'''</span>]], [[Manchester]] [[M56 motorway|<span style="color:white; background:#0079C1">'''M56'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|24.5
|39.5
| ''Start of motorway'' [[File:UK motorway symbol.svg|x20px]]
| rowspan=2|J12
| [[Chester]] [[A56 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A56'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|24.9
|40.1
| [[Chester]], [[Helsby]] [[A56 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A56'''</span>]]<br>''Non-motorway traffic''
| ''End of motorway [[File:Mauritius Road Signs - Information Sign - End of Motorway.svg|x20px]]<br>Road continues as'' [[A55 road|<span style="color:#FFD200; background:#00703C">'''A55'''</span>]] ''towards [[North Wales]]''
|-
! colspan=5 | Moreton Spur
|- style="text-align:center;"
|
|
| ''End of motorway'' [[File:Mauritius Road Signs - Information Sign - End of Motorway.svg|x20px]]<br>[[West Kirby]] [[A551 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A551'''</span>]] [[B5139 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''(B5139)'''</span>]]<br>[[Moreton, Merseyside|Moreton]] [[A551 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A551'''</span>]], [[Hoylake]] [[A553 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''(A553)'''</span>]]
| rowspan=2 | J2A<br>[[File:UK traffic sign 510.svg|x20px]]
| [[Moreton, Merseyside|Moreton]] [[A551 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A551'''</span>]], [[Hoylake]] [[A553 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''(A553)'''</span>]]
|- align='center'
|
|
| [[Upton, Merseyside|Upton]] [[A551 road|<span style="color:black; background:white">'''A551'''</span>]]
| ''Start of motorway<br>([[Moreton, Merseyside|Moreton]] Spur)'' [[File:UK motorway symbol.svg|x20px]]
{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete}}<br>Data from [[driver location signs]] is used to provide distance and carriageway identifier information.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trafficengland.com/map.aspx |title=Traffic England Live Traffic Condition Map ''(selected Popups)'' |publisher=Highways Agency |access-date=11 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210221222/http://www.trafficengland.com/map.aspx |archive-date=10 February 2012 }}</ref>

;Notes
{{Cnote2 Begin|liststyle=disc}}
{{Cnote2|Note 1|'''1:''' Signed as 'All Docks'.}}
{{Cnote2 End}}

==Traffic counts==

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Section
! Capacity
! colspan=2 | [[AADT]] (2019)
! Count point data
|-
| J1-J2
| D3
| 77,684
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/46040 46040]
|-
| J2-J2A (Moreton Spur)
| D2
| 43,788
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/56042 56042]
|-
| J2-J3
| rowspan=4 | D3
| 65,764
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/6045 6045]
|-
| J3-J4
| 70,602
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/75457 75457]
|-
| J4-J5
| 60,257
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/16041 16041]
|-
| J5-J6
| 73,717
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/26063 26063]
|-
| J6-J7
| rowspan=4 | D2
| 53,795
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/46059 46059]
|-
| J7-J8
| 71,378
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/16060 16060]
|-
| J8-J9
| 77,609
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/36063 36063]
|-
| J9-J10
| 66,522
| {{decrease}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/56062 56062]
|-
| J10-J11
| D3
| 79,872
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/27872 27872]
|-
| J11-J12
| D2
| 69,147
| {{increase}}
| [https://roadtraffic.dft.gov.uk/manualcountpoints/75190 75190]
|}

==M53 Divide==
The M53 is seen as an east–west divide between the affluent and developing areas of the Wirral.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/10/30/health-inequalities-wirral-living-black-report|title = Health inequalities on Wirral: A living Black report?|date = 6 August 2021|last1 = Cummins|first1 = Dr Anthony G.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/m53-divide-how-wirral-split-15101586|title = The M53 divide: How Wirral is split between poverty and wealth|date = 2 September 2018}}</ref>

==Culture==
A full-sized replica of one of the motorway's bridges forms part of the exhibition ''O' Magic Power of Bleakness'' by [[Mark Leckey]] at [[Tate Britain]] (September 2019 – January 2020).<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-50631845 |publisher=BBC |title='Pixie encounter' under Cheshire bridge inspires Tate exhibition |date=25 September 2019 |access-date=17 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-britain/exhibition/mark-leckey |title= Mark Leckey O' Magic Power of Bleakness |publisher=Tate |access-date=17 December 2019}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Cheshire|North West England}}
* [[List of motorways in the United Kingdom]]
* [[Wirral Line]]
* [[A41 road]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite news|url=https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/18987941.partial-weekend-motorway-closure-m53-bridge-replacement-continues/|title=M53 Moreton Spur bridge replacement continues this weekend|work=Wirral Globe|first=Craig|last=Manning|date=5 January 2021}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.wirralglobe.co.uk/news/18996916.next-phase-m53-moreton-spur-bridge-replacement-start/|title=Next phase of M53 Moreton Spur bridge replacement to start|work=Wirral Globe|first=Craig|last=Manning|date=8 January 2021}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.carnellgroup.co.uk/m53_moreton_bridge/|title=M53 Moreton Bridge Demolition|work=Carnell Group}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.costain.com/news/news-releases/m53-bidston-moss-viaduct-upgrade-a-major-success/|title=M53 Bidston Moss Viaduct Upgrade A Major Success|work=Costain|date=2 April 2012}}
*{{cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/28-million-m53-bridge-repairs-underway|title=£2.8 million M53 bridge repairs underway |work=UK Government|date=6 February 2015}}

==External links==
{{GeoGroup}}
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}
* [http://www.cbrd.co.uk/motorway/m53/ CBRD Motorway Database – M53/531]
* [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/primary+secondary?title=m53 Legislation.gov.uk - M53]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170422205542/http://pathetic.org.uk/lost/m531// Pathetic Motorways – M531]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20170423062846/http://motorwayarchive.ihtservices.co.uk/en/motorways/motorway-listing/the-midwirral-motorway-m53/ The Motorway Archive – M53]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070821153647/http://www.iht.org/motorway/m53mwamat.htm Vol. 4 M53/A55 Wallasey Tunnel to A5104/A55 Junction at Broughton North Wales. List of material held in the Cheshire County Council Record Office - The Motorway Archive]

{{UK motorways}}
{{Motorways and Trunk Roads in England}}
{{Transport in Merseyside}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:M53 Motorway}}
[[Category:Motorways in England|5-0053]]
[[Category:Roads in Cheshire|5-0053]]
[[Category:Transport in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral|5-0053]]