A572 road
Encyclopedia
The A572 is a main road serving the Greater Manchester
and Merseyside
areas, running from Swinton
to St Helens
via Leigh
and Newton-le-Willows
.
, apart from a rather sharp corner at the junction with Hazelhurst Road. For a brief time, the road leaves the urban environment and heads through the wooded edge of Worsley Golf Course, before heading into Worsley Village itself.
Here, the road meets with the M60 motorway
at junction 13, where the A575 and B5211 also terminate. The road gains primary status – but only for the short section between the two roundabouts on either side of the motorway. The A572 heads straight under the M60, then makes a shallow climb through Worsley Woods towards Boothstown
. This is the first section of road where the speed limit is increased, to 40 mph (17.9 m/s) – however up to about five years ago there was a National Speed Limit in force. As soon as you hit the edge of Boothstown, the limit drops back to 30 mph (13.4 m/s). Having passed through the centre of Boothstown, the road TOTSO's at the junction with the A577. Again there is a bit of a climb, often with cars parked down both sides and buses struggling to get through. Next is the Queens Roundabout, a rather angular hamburger roundabout, where the A580
East Lancashire Road dissects through the village.
After crossing the East Lancashire Road, the A572 continues to head west, now entering Wigan Borough (from Salford). Signs show Tyldesley
too, however recent council ward boundaries have made this a little accurate. Its actually the former mining village of Astley
, which is actually bigger in size than its neighbouring town. The road heads through an industrial area firstly, before entering the village itself. There are numerous busy junctions here, the first is Cross Hillock, which has two unclassified roads coming off it, both with right turn bans imposed (to cut the accident rate). Secondly is a roundabout for the A5082, which is meant to be the official route from the A572 up to the A577 at Tyldesley. However, this is a windy road, so most people use the unclassified Prince’s Avenue, which leads off at the next junction, a mini-roundabout which is found in the centre of the village (Blackmoor) – Prince’s Avenue goes in a straight line.
From there, the road takes a windy course heading up out of the village, past a very large high school. The road remains at 30 mph (13.4 m/s). The road now enters Leigh
, here passing a cemetery and another large high school, before making a very tight left turn with a rather dangerous double mini-roundabout immediately after it. However, the road proceeds ahead, and curves round to the next set of lights at the junction with the A574 at Butts Bridge. Carrying on, the road proceeds past a large police station. The road heads onto the town centre bypass, where at both ends are primary green coloured road signs, despite this not being a primary route!. After about 1/4 mi the bypass ends, and the road TOTSO’s again at the bus station traffic lights.
Here the road heads south, in a gentle snaking shape down to Lowton
, crossing the A579 alongside Pennington Flash Country Park, and passing another high school. Shortly after, the road reaches the Lane Head junction in the middle of Lowton, where the A572 crosses the A580 for the third and final time. At this point the A572 gains primary status for 1/2 mi (part of the A579 multiplex), and in this short section will cross through three sets of lights, the A580, the B5207 Golborne
to Culcheth
road, and the A579 T-junction. The road reverts back to normal A road status as it winds gently down towards Newton-le-Willows, with the speed limit increasing to 40 mph (17.9 m/s) as it heads into open countryside.
There is a staggered crossroads with the A573, the point where the road crosses out of Wigan Borough and into St Helens. Also, the West Coast Main Line
crosses underneath just before the junction, and the M6 motorway
passes overhead just afterwards. The road now reverts back to 30 mph (13.4 m/s) as the area becomes built-up once again. Once the road is in Newton village, it meets the A49 outside Newton Station
.
At this point, there is a short multiplex about 1 miles (1.6 km) long, using the A49 heading north through the shopping area of the village. At a mini-roundabout, the designation returns to the A572, still heading westerly in a straight line over the top of Earlestown
. The road then curves into a south westerly direction, heading into a rural section. Here the road becomes 40 mph (17.9 m/s) again, and passes the Warrington
/ St Helens boundary, before curving north westerly and heading into St Helens itself (back to 30 mph (13.4 m/s) after approximately 2 miles (3.2 km)). The road then meets an over-sized roundabout, where a couple of local roads head off to the south. The road snakes a little, winding its way through Parr
, where it meets with 3 or 4 sets of traffic lights at local roads once again. It then meets with the A58 at a large T-junction set of traffic lights, where it meets its end.
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
and Merseyside
Merseyside
Merseyside is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 1,365,900. It encompasses the metropolitan area centred on both banks of the lower reaches of the Mersey Estuary, and comprises five metropolitan boroughs: Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, Wirral, and the city of Liverpool...
areas, running from Swinton
Swinton, Greater Manchester
Swinton is a town within the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. Located on the A6 road it stands on gently sloping ground on the southwest side of the River Irwell, and within the bounds of the orbital M60 motorway. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester...
to St Helens
St Helens, Merseyside
St Helens is a large town in Merseyside, England. It is the largest settlement and administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens with a population of just over 100,000, part of an urban area with a total population of 176,843 at the time of the 2001 Census...
via Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
and Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows
Newton-le-Willows is a small market town within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. Historically a part of Lancashire, it is situated about midway between the cities of Manchester and Liverpool, to the east of St Helens, to the north of Warrington and to the south of...
.
Route
The A572 starts in Swinton at a dog-legged T-junction with the A6. The road then heads in a south-westerly direction, crossing the A580 at the Charlie Browns lights (there used to be a Charlie Browns garage on the corner). The road then heads in a general westerly curve into WorsleyWorsley
Worsley is a town in the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies along the course of Worsley Brook, west of Manchester. The M60 motorway bisects the area....
, apart from a rather sharp corner at the junction with Hazelhurst Road. For a brief time, the road leaves the urban environment and heads through the wooded edge of Worsley Golf Course, before heading into Worsley Village itself.
Here, the road meets with the M60 motorway
M60 motorway
The M60 motorway, or Manchester Orbital, is an orbital motorway circling Greater Manchester, a metropolitan county in North West England. It passes through all Greater Manchester's metropolitan boroughs except for Wigan and Bolton...
at junction 13, where the A575 and B5211 also terminate. The road gains primary status – but only for the short section between the two roundabouts on either side of the motorway. The A572 heads straight under the M60, then makes a shallow climb through Worsley Woods towards Boothstown
Boothstown
Boothstown is a residential village straddling the City of Salford and Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is situated to the west of the City of Salford, bordered to the north by the East Lancashire Road A580 and to the south by the Bridgewater Canal...
. This is the first section of road where the speed limit is increased, to 40 mph (17.9 m/s) – however up to about five years ago there was a National Speed Limit in force. As soon as you hit the edge of Boothstown, the limit drops back to 30 mph (13.4 m/s). Having passed through the centre of Boothstown, the road TOTSO's at the junction with the A577. Again there is a bit of a climb, often with cars parked down both sides and buses struggling to get through. Next is the Queens Roundabout, a rather angular hamburger roundabout, where the A580
A580 road
The A580 is a primary A road in England that connects Walton, near Liverpool and Salford, near Manchester and known officially as Liverpool-East Lancashire Road. Locally, the road is shortened to the "East Lancs". The road was designed and built to provide better access to the Port of Liverpool for...
East Lancashire Road dissects through the village.
After crossing the East Lancashire Road, the A572 continues to head west, now entering Wigan Borough (from Salford). Signs show Tyldesley
Tyldesley
Tyldesley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It occupies an area north of Chat Moss near the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, east-southeast of Wigan and west-northwest of the city of Manchester...
too, however recent council ward boundaries have made this a little accurate. Its actually the former mining village of Astley
Astley, Greater Manchester
Astley is a settlement within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan in Greater Manchester, England, variously described as a suburb or a village. Astley lies on flat land to the northwest of the city of Manchester, and is crossed by the Bridgewater Canal and the A580 "East Lancashire Road"...
, which is actually bigger in size than its neighbouring town. The road heads through an industrial area firstly, before entering the village itself. There are numerous busy junctions here, the first is Cross Hillock, which has two unclassified roads coming off it, both with right turn bans imposed (to cut the accident rate). Secondly is a roundabout for the A5082, which is meant to be the official route from the A572 up to the A577 at Tyldesley. However, this is a windy road, so most people use the unclassified Prince’s Avenue, which leads off at the next junction, a mini-roundabout which is found in the centre of the village (Blackmoor) – Prince’s Avenue goes in a straight line.
From there, the road takes a windy course heading up out of the village, past a very large high school. The road remains at 30 mph (13.4 m/s). The road now enters Leigh
Leigh, Greater Manchester
Leigh is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is southeast of Wigan, and west of Manchester. Leigh is situated on low lying land to the north west of Chat Moss....
, here passing a cemetery and another large high school, before making a very tight left turn with a rather dangerous double mini-roundabout immediately after it. However, the road proceeds ahead, and curves round to the next set of lights at the junction with the A574 at Butts Bridge. Carrying on, the road proceeds past a large police station. The road heads onto the town centre bypass, where at both ends are primary green coloured road signs, despite this not being a primary route!. After about 1/4 mi the bypass ends, and the road TOTSO’s again at the bus station traffic lights.
Here the road heads south, in a gentle snaking shape down to Lowton
Lowton
Lowton is a village, part of the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England. It is around from Leigh and south of Wigan. The settlement lies across the A580 East Lancashire Road....
, crossing the A579 alongside Pennington Flash Country Park, and passing another high school. Shortly after, the road reaches the Lane Head junction in the middle of Lowton, where the A572 crosses the A580 for the third and final time. At this point the A572 gains primary status for 1/2 mi (part of the A579 multiplex), and in this short section will cross through three sets of lights, the A580, the B5207 Golborne
Golborne
Golborne is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, in Greater Manchester, England.It lies south-southeast of Wigan, northeast of Warrington and to the west of the city of Manchester. It has a population of 23,119....
to Culcheth
Culcheth
Culcheth is a large village approximately 6 miles north-east of Warrington, England. It is the principal settlement in Culcheth and Glazebury civil parish. The village has many amenities which make it a popular place to live. These include a library, a village hall, sports facilities, two...
road, and the A579 T-junction. The road reverts back to normal A road status as it winds gently down towards Newton-le-Willows, with the speed limit increasing to 40 mph (17.9 m/s) as it heads into open countryside.
There is a staggered crossroads with the A573, the point where the road crosses out of Wigan Borough and into St Helens. Also, the West Coast Main Line
West Coast Main Line
The West Coast Main Line is the busiest mixed-traffic railway route in Britain, being the country's most important rail backbone in terms of population served. Fast, long-distance inter-city passenger services are provided between London, the West Midlands, the North West, North Wales and the...
crosses underneath just before the junction, and the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
passes overhead just afterwards. The road now reverts back to 30 mph (13.4 m/s) as the area becomes built-up once again. Once the road is in Newton village, it meets the A49 outside Newton Station
Newton-le-Willows railway station
Newton-le-Willows railway station is a railway station in the town of Newton-le-Willows, in the borough of St Helens in the north-west of England, and at the edge of the Merseytravel region. It is situated on the northern route of the Liverpool to Manchester Line, the former Liverpool and...
.
At this point, there is a short multiplex about 1 miles (1.6 km) long, using the A49 heading north through the shopping area of the village. At a mini-roundabout, the designation returns to the A572, still heading westerly in a straight line over the top of Earlestown
Earlestown
Earlestown forms the western part of Newton-le-Willows, a town in the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 Census the population was recorded as 10,274.-History:...
. The road then curves into a south westerly direction, heading into a rural section. Here the road becomes 40 mph (17.9 m/s) again, and passes the Warrington
Warrington
Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...
/ St Helens boundary, before curving north westerly and heading into St Helens itself (back to 30 mph (13.4 m/s) after approximately 2 miles (3.2 km)). The road then meets an over-sized roundabout, where a couple of local roads head off to the south. The road snakes a little, winding its way through Parr
Parr, St Helens
Parr is a former village, now situated within St. Helens, England and is located towards the eastern side of the town. However the area dates back to the West Derby hundred district from the 12th century. The area is located within walking distance of St...
, where it meets with 3 or 4 sets of traffic lights at local roads once again. It then meets with the A58 at a large T-junction set of traffic lights, where it meets its end.