Information AboutA5 Road |
The A5 is a major road in the United Kingdom . It runs for about 260 miles (including sections Concurrent with other designations) from London to Holyhead , following in part the route of the Roman Watling Street . HISTORY The history of the A5 begins with Thomas Telford in the early Nineteenth Century . Following the Act Of Union 1800 , which unified Great Britain and Ireland , the government saw the need for improving communication links between London and Dublin . A Parliamentary committee led to an Act Of Parliament of 1815 that authorised buying out existing Turnpike road interests and, where necessary, constructing a new road, to complete the route between the two capitals. This made it the first major civilian state-funded road building project in Britain since Roman times. Through England , the road largely took over existing Turnpike roads, which mainly followed the route of the Roman Watling Street . From Shrewsbury and through Wales , Telford's work was more extensive. In places he followed existing roads, but he also built new links, including the Menai Suspension Bridge to connect the mainland with Anglesey and the Stanley Embankment to Holy Island . Telford's road was complete with the opening of the Menai Suspension Bridge in 1826 . Notable Features The road was designed to allow Stagecoaches to carry post between London and Holyhead, and thence to Ireland : throughout its length the gradient never exceeds 5%. The route through Wales retains many of the original features of Telford's road and has, since 1995 , been recognised as an historic route worthy of preservation. These features include -
Telford's road survives In 1997 , a section of bends on Telford's road at Tŷ Nant was by-passed by a modern cutting. To the embarrassment of the authorities, rock falls forced its closure in 2005 ; the old road was bought back and reopened, proving its worth nearly 200 years on. ROUTE |
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