Trunk Road - United Kingdom

United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, Trunk Roads were first defined for Great Britain in the Trunk Roads Act 1936. Thirty major roads were classed as Trunk Roads and the Minister of Transport took direct control of them and the bridges across them. This development did not extend to Northern Ireland, which has always had a separate system of highway and road traffic law.

At that time, 4,500 miles (7,200 km) of British road were classified as Trunk Roads. Additional roads have been 'trunked', notably in the Trunk Roads Act 1946. Others, like virtually all British motorways, have entered the system as a result of new construction. As of 2004, Great Britain has 7,845 miles (12,625 km) of Trunk Roads, of which 2,161 miles (3,478 km) are motorways. Trunk roads in England are managed by the Highways Agency. Scotland has had responsibility for its own trunk roads since 1955; these are currently managed by Transport Scotland. Wales has had responsibility for its trunk roads since 1965.

Mileage

England has 4,814 miles (7,747 km)

Scotland has 1,982 miles (3,190 km)

Wales has 1,048 miles (1,687 km)

... of trunk roads, inclusive of motorways. The Highways Agency also have a full network map of trunk roads and motorways in England.

Most interurban trunk roads are "primary routes", the category of roads recommended for long distance and freight transport. Not all primary routes are trunk roads, the difference being that maintenance of trunk roads is paid for by national government bodies rather than the local councils in whose area they lie. Primary routes are identified by their direction signs, which feature white text on a green background with route numbers in yellow. Trunk roads, like other 'A' roads, can be either single- or dual-carriageway.

Historically trunk roads were listed on maps with a "T" in brackets after their number to distinguish them from non-trunk parts of the same road, however this suffix is no longer included on current Ordnance Survey maps which simply distinguish between primary and non-primary 'A' roads. A trunk road which has been upgraded to motorway standard may retain its original "A" number but with an "M" in brackets to denote that motorway regulations apply on it. Long distance examples of this are the A1(M) in England, and the A74(M) in Scotland.