Ring Roads

Aberdeeen

A933/A944/A956/A978

Paul Berry

If the A90 bypass is considered the Outer Ring, then this is the Inner Ring. There's also an inner distributor road, the fantastic little B986 dual carriageway tucked in to a railway cutting and running parallel to Union Terrace Gardens.

Ashford

A292

Adam Colton

A one-way four-lane racetrack round the town centre – popular with boy racers!

Aylesbury

A41/A4157

Jim Rayner

The A4157 forms the northern connection round the town centre while the A41 cuts a swathe across the southern edge of the town centre thus forming a whole Ring Road. Not a particulary exciting road but a Ring Road nevertheless.

Basingstoke

A30/A339/A340

Paul Berry

New Town Circuit Road. The A3010 Churchill Way neatly bisects the town centre.

Birmingham (Queensway)

A4400

Paul Berry
Tom Sutch
Chris Bertram

Comments on Birmingham's Ring Roads on a separate page.
Here's a nice commemorative coin! Nice to see some recognition...

Birmingham (Middleway)

A4540

Paul Berry
Chris Bertram

Birmingham (Outer)

A4040

Gary Davison
Chris Bertram

Birmingham (Orbital)

M5/M6/M42

Paul Berry

This one's debatable, but you can do a circuit of the city in both directions and it's all grade-separated...

Blackburn

A6119

Bryn666

Now hardly used. As with Bolton and Stockport, it's only really half a Ring.

Bolton

A58

Peter Edwardson

Stretching the definition a bit, but there's an explanation on this page about Lancashire Ring Roads.

Bradford (Inner)

A647/A650/A6181

Paul Berry
Jim Rayner

Jim Rayner offers a correction: "The A6181 via Foster Square and Westgate is really the Central Ring Road. The Forster Square bit is due to be downgraded at some point in the future due to a shopping centre redevelopment. The Inner Ring Road is officially the A6181 (Hamme Strasse)/A647 (Croft Street & Senior Way) & the A650 (Shipley - Airedale Road)."

Bradford (Outer)

A6177

Tom Sutch
Philip

The A6177 is also the former B6232 between Haslingden and Blackburn.

Bristol (Inner)

A4044

Paul Berry
Guy Barry
Chris Bertram

Comments on the Bristol Inner Ring Road on a separate page.

Bristol (Outer)

A4174/A4174

Paul Berry
Guy Barry
Chris Bertram
David D Miller

Comments on the Bristol Outer Ring Road on a separate page.

Bury

A56/A58

Paul Berry

Cambridge

A1134

Paul Berry

A recent visit to Cambridge shows the route is impeccably signed: there is a repeater every three lampposts. See also Unfinished Business.

Canterbury

A28/A290

Paul Berry

Why don't they join it up via Pound Lane & Broad Street?
Geoff Phillips answers:
If you'd ever been to Canterbury you'd know precisely why the Ring Road does not connect up via (half of) Broad Street and Pound Lane – most of this route follows tiny back streets, still on their medieval course and size. And the sheer volume of traffic in Canterbury for such a relatively small place defies belief. Good luck to you if you wish to drive a truck... or even an MPV down them!

Cardiff (Inner)

A470/A4160/A4161

Paul Berry
Philip Lord

Once probably of a smaller radius: suspicions aroused by the dualled Churchill Way (unclassified) that passes to the west of Queen Street station. Ah, it turns out I was wrong about Churchill Way: see this page for more.

Cardiff (Outer)

A4232/A4232

Jon Waters
Philip Lord

The dual carriageway "Peripheral Distributor Road": it still isn't finished, and it isn't a complete Ring. The road starts at M4 J30 as the short North Pentwyn Link Road, then joins the A48 Eastern Avenue for a bit. It peels off from the A48 in south east Cardiff, but there's a big missing section – the proposed Eastern Bay Link – before the Butetown Link section. This has a tunnel under the Inner Harbour waterfront then a bridge which affords a great view of Cardiff and its new artificial lake. The road then skirts west around Cardiff to rejoin the M4 at J33, with the A48 to M4 section primary. Two years on, Philip Lord updates this entry: see this page for more.

Chelmsford

A138/A138

Jon Askham

Like the Harlow Ring Road, it multiplexes with the A414.

Cheltenham (One-way)

A40/A46/A435/A4019

Rupert Candy
Paul Berry

Hopeful 'R' signs stuck on the occasional lamppost.

Chester

A5268

Tom Sutch

Chichester

A259/A286

Rupert Candy

Eastern side is the A286, western is the A259. Meticulously signed.

Coventry (Ringway)

A4053

Tom Sutch
Gary Davison

Nine junctions all numbered! IMHO the best Ring Road ever; gets moaned at cos no-one knows how to drive on it.

Croydon

A212/A232/A236

Tony Frost

Has east, south and west sides but no north side. More info.

Darlington

A68/A167

Paul Berry

Derby (Inner)

A601

Paul Berry

Nowhere near the A601(M) which is in Carnforth, Lancashire!

Derby (Outer)

A38/A52/A61/A5111

Philip
Paul Berry

I spotted that the A5111 is signed 'Ring Road' from the A52 between Derby and Long Eaton last weekend (28th July 02). Also, managed to find the beginning of the A61 (Cock Pitt), so there's now no doubt that the A38 between Derby and Mansfield takes over part of the former.

Dover

A20/A256

Paul Berry

Dundee

A991

Paul Berry

Edinburgh

A720

Toby Speight

I think the Edinburgh City Bypass counts, as half-rings do for other coastal towns; but it's not designated a Ring Road of course.

Glasgow

M8/A8

Guy Barry

The M8 only covers the northern and western sides of the city.

Gloucester

A417/A430/A4301

Paul Berry

The A38, the north-central bypass, meets the north point of the Ring at right angles.

Harlow

A1169

Paul Berry

New Town Circuit Road. The A1169 multiplexes with the A414, and because the latter's a primary route it has priority.

Huddersfield

A62

Paul Berry

Castlegate/Southgate/Queensgate. The A62 is also a trunk route.

Hull

A63/A165/A1079

Paul Berry

Huntingdon

B1514

Paul Berry

Used to be the A141, which is now the northern bypass. The B1514 also extends east and west from the Ring, which is one-way clockwise.

Ipswich

A1022/A1156

Paul Berry

Kettering

A4300/A6003/A6098/A6900

Paul Berry

Kidderminster (Ringway)

A442/A451/A456/A4535

Paul Berry

The dual carriageway part (eastern half) is called The Ringway. The western side is the A4535 Sutton Road.

Leeds (Inner Loop)

A58(M)/A64(M)

Paul Berry

Arcs through Leeds city centre in a deep cutting and forms one of Britain's rare 40mph motorways. The A64(M) is also the shortest motorway at 600 yards!

Leeds (Outer)

A647/A6110/A6120

Chris Marshall
Paul Berry
Stu531

Another incomplete Ring Road for Leeds. Comments, and a solution of sorts, to be found on a separate page.

Leicester (Central)

A594

Paul Berry

Also the Maryport - Cockermouth road in Cumbria!

Leicester (Outer)

A563/A6030

Paul Berry

Shares the A6 through Stoneygate. Comments on the Leicester Outer Ring Road on a separate page.

Liverpool (Inner)

A5058/A5058

Peter Edwardson

Queen's Drive. More info on this page about Lancashire Ring Roads.

Liverpool (Outer)

M57/A5207/A5300

Paul Berry

London (Inner)

Many

Rupert Candy
Paul Berry
Guy Barry
Tom Sutch
Jon Askham

So complex it has its own page. One of the most imperfect.

London (North/South Circulars)

A406/A205

Paul Berry

There is a bridge projected between Beckton and Thamesmead (the East London Crossing), but the road still officially uses the Woolwich Ferry!

London (Orbital)

M25/A282

Paul Berry

The M25 is incomplete either side of the Dartford Crossing, and always will be, because it must be an all-purpose route here.

Loughborough

A6004

Paul Berry

The A6004 is three-quarters of the Ring on its own; it multiplexes with the A6 and A60 near the station.

Luton

A6/A505

Paul Berry

The A505 now runs across the north of the town, but also still goes through the centre.

Manchester (Inner)

A57(M)/A635/A665/A6042

Peter Edwardson

More info on this page about Lancashire Ring Roads.

Manchester (Outer)

A6010

Peter Edwardson

More info on this page about Lancashire Ring Roads.

Manchester (Orbital)

M60

Paul Berry

I know it has its detractors but at least it's complete.

Mansfield

A6009

Richard Warwick

Although it appears on OS maps I have yet to see it on the signs. A couple of years ago the complete circuit was finshed (sort of) but now it has a bit of a reputation for illegal races from the local boy racers! They have even given names to the corners!

Medway Towns
(Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Strood)

M2/A2/A278/A289

Davies

Uses the new Medway Tunnel and the M2 Medway Bridge. Doesn't encircle Rainham (the other Medway Town).

Motherwell

A721A723

Paul Berry

Encircles a monolithic town centre structure, which is probably a shopping centre. I presume the Ring is one-way, if not it could be considered a Magic Roundabout.

Northampton

A428/A508/A5123

Paul Berry

Norwich (Inner)

A147

Paul Berry
Jon Askham

Through traffic uses the A47 bypass.

Norwich (Outer)

A140/A146/A1042/A1242

Jon Askham

Inner and Outer Rings join to become the same route on the east side of the city.

Nottingham (Inner)

A6008

Paul Berry

Multiplexes with the A60 on the east side of the city centre.

Nottingham (Middle Boulevards)

A6005/A6130

Paul Berry

Clockwise from the station: Castle, Lenton, Radford, Gregory Boulevards forming one-mile-square box around west and north of inner city.

Nottingham (Outer Boulevards)

A52/A6514

Paul Berry

Clockwise from West Bridgford: Clifton, Middleton, Western Boulevards & Valley Road. Starting at Gamston, loops right aroud West Bridgford, crosses the Trent at Wilford, runs past the University and the Raleigh Factory, and ends up on the A60, which takes over its primary status.

Oldbury (Ringway)

A457/A4182

Paul Berry

Unfortunately, just a semi-circular town centre bypass.

Oxford (Inner)

A420

Paul Berry

Planned to run much further than was ever built. More info.

Oxford (Outer)

A34/A40/A44/A423/A4142

Jonathan

Perth

A989/A989

David Sloan

Peterborough

A15/A47/A1139/A1260

Paul Berry

All graded junctions expect one roundabout between Newark and Eye. The A15 runs in parallel with itself around Werrington!

Preston

A59/A582</P>

Paul Berry

Inner-city bypass with street name Ring Way.

Reading (IDR)

A329

Fat_Guy33
Paul Berry

The Inner Distribution Road in Reading. Of course, it also extends down through Wokingham and Bracknell to Virginia Water, and out the west side to Wallingford and Thame.

Romford

A118/A125

Paul Berry

Rotherham

A630/A6021

Paul Berry

Runcorn

A533/A557

Paul Berry

The Runcorn-Widnes Bridge could be considered part of the Liverpool Ring Road.

Sheffield (Inner)

A61

Paul Berry

The Ring Road was built in about 1986, by joining up, widening, and building roads in an arc strecthing round the west of the city centre from St. Mary's Street to Penistone Road. There's at least one sign pointing to it as the A6134 and this was once its number. The A61 is also a trunk route, of course.

Sheffield (Outer)

A6102

Paul Berry

Semi-circular, like the A500 "D" road in Stoke. Also, the A6102 runs northwest of Hillsborough, replacing the number of the A616.

Skelmersdale

M58/A577

Paul Berry

New Town Circuit Road. The A577 also extends eastwards to Boothstown, and westwards to Ormskirk.

Stafford

A34/A518

Paul Berry

Stevenage

A1072

Paul Berry

New Town Circuit Road.

Stockport

A626

Peter Edwardson

A loop round the east of the town centre, connecting with the M60 at J13.

Stockton

A1305

Paul Berry

Stourbridge

A491

Chris Bertram

One-way clockwise loop drawn tight round the town centre. There are proposals to add lights and divert part of the route.

Sunderland

A183/A1018/A1231

Paul Berry

Walsall

A4148

Paul Berry

A curious Ring, as the western side definitely wasn't planned as such, though the remaining sections were. Also, it meets the M6 at J9. I owe this observation to Steven Jukes.

Watford

A411

Paul Berry

Beechen Grove/Exchange Road: A one-way loop around the central High Street shopping centre. The north end crosses the High Street on a bridge!

Wolverhampton

A4150

Steven Jukes

There's only one sign with the number on it, and that's only a direction to it!

Wellingborough

A5128/A5193

Paul Berry

Not sure if this is a one-way system.

Wrexham

A5152

Paul Berry

A5152 also connects with A483 trunk route either side of town.

York (Inner)

A19/A1036

Neil Turner

More info on this page.

York (Outer)

A64/A1237

Paul Berry

The A64 is also a trunk route.