A5 corridor
The A5 is one of the Midlands’ most important east-west road corridors, connecting businesses with ports, airports and motorways, allowing them to access major UK and international markets.
What is the scheme?
We're working on a long-term, corridor approach to improving the A5, initially along a 53 mile section between the M6 J12 in Staffordshire and the M1 J18 in Warwickshire.
The route connects the M1 and M6 and intersects with the M42 and M69, four of the region’s busiest motorways. The A5 corridor is home to a million people, serves large cities and towns including Cannock, Tamworth, Nuneaton, Hinckley and Rugby, and supports major employment sites such as Magna Park and MIRA Enterprise Zone. The A5 sits at the heart of the so-called “Logistics Golden Triangle”.
With improvements, the route has the potential to provide an alternative route to our congested motorways and support significant housing and employment growth.
DfT is also committed to developing proposals for a wider stretch of the A5 between Tamworth and Hinckley for construction from 2025, using Midlands Connect's technical evidence to make the case for improvements.
Midlands Connect A5 conference
Our first A5 conference took place in Winter 2022 and was joined by senior politicians, business leaders, and local councils to discuss the future of this nationally critical route. Watch a recording of the conference below:
What we've done
We have completed a Strategic Outline Business Case, setting out the case for investment and a range of potential interventions to support growth. Our work on the A5 has a long-term, corridor approach to investment, in line with our work on the A46 and A50/A500.
Following our appraisal, the Central Section between Tamworth and Hinckley (M42 to M69) was identified as a priority section for further investigation. We created an ‘Investment Plan’ for the Central Section, reaffirming the links between enhancements to the A5 and supporting economic growth opportunities and local communities.
What happens next?
We are continuing to work with partners to support proposals to enhance the A5. The Department for Transport committed to developing proposals for the A5 between Tamworth and Hinckley (aligning with our Central Section), which is included within National Highways’ pipeline of possible future schemes (2025-2030).
We have also supported the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on the A5 Transport Corridor between Dordon and Atherstone.