UK Roads: Birmingham

Current state of play on Birmingham's Ring Roads:

1. The Inner Ring Road (A4400)
   • No longer a complete loop. The new Bull Ring Shopping Centre is being built over most of St Martin's Circus, leaving only 1 side, which I think will be buses/taxis/cycles only when reopened. In fact, the "Inner Ring Road" directions have been covered over on the eastern side of the road from the A38 at Lancaster Circus to the A38 at Holloway Circus, so it's goodbye to that! The City Council has for years been referring to the "concrete collar" around the city centre, so I guess they're happy now.
2. The (Middle) Ring Road (A4540)
   • This is complete, dual all the way round and only marred by speed cameras, traffic lights and too many roundabouts where grade separation would help. (The "Middle" bit is now really redundant.)
3. The Outer Ring Road (A4040)
   • This is no longer considered a ring road, and what signs remain calling it that (rare now) will be replaced. Nonetheless it's a complete loop (with occasional multiplexing with other roads). Some is dual, some is not, there are plenty of indications that there were grand ambitions for this at one time, with huge wide verges just ready for the next bit of dual to happen. I suppose it was rendered obsolete by the M6/M5/M42 box.

Chris Bertram