The A55, also known as the North Wales Expressway ( cy, Gwibffordd Gogledd Cymru)
is a major road in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
and
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, connecting
Cheshire and
north Wales
North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...
. The vast majority of its length from
Chester to
Holyhead is a
dual carriageway primary route
The United Kingdom has a network of roads, of varied quality and capacity, totalling about . Road distances are shown in miles or yards and UK speed limits are indicated in miles per hour (mph) or by the use of the national speed limit (NSL) sy ...
, with the exception of the
Britannia Bridge
Britannia Bridge ( cy, Pont Britannia) is a bridge across the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. It was originally designed and built by the noted railway engineer Robert Stephenson as a tubular bridge of w ...
over the
Menai Strait and several short sections where there are gaps in between the two carriageways. All junctions are
grade separated
In civil engineering (more specifically highway engineering), grade separation is a method of aligning a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights (grades) so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other tra ...
apart from a roundabout east of
Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr (, ) is a town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, which was formerly in the parish of Dwygyfylchi and the traditional county of Caernarfonshire. It is on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan and was a ...
and another nearby in
Llanfairfechan
Llanfairfechan ("Little St Mary's Parish") is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755, reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the ...
. Initially, the road ran from
Chester to
Bangor. In 2001, it was extended across
Anglesey
Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
to the
ferry port of Holyhead
300px, Just inside the 'New' harbour at Holyhead port., alt=Port of Holyhead From geograph.org.uk 8 October 2007
The Port of Holyhead ( cy, Porthladd Caergybi) is a commercial and ferry port in Anglesey, Wales, handling more than 2 million pass ...
parallel to the
A5. The road improvements have been part funded with European money, under the
Trans-European Networks
The Trans-European Networks (TEN) were created by the European Union by Articles 154–156 of the Treaty of Rome (1957), with the stated goals of the creation of an internal market and the reinforcement of economic and social cohesion. To various ...
programme, as the route is designated part of
Euroroute
The international E-road network is a numbering system for roads in Europe developed by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). The network is numbered from E1 up and its roads ...
E22 (
Holyhead –
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
–
Amsterdam
Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...
–
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
–
Malmö
Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal pop ...
–
Riga –
Moscow
Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...
–
Perm
Perm or PERM may refer to:
Places
*Perm, Russia, a city in Russia
** Permsky District, the district
**Perm Krai, a federal subject of Russia since 2005
**Perm Oblast, a former federal subject of Russia 1938–2005
**Perm Governorate, an administra ...
–
Ekaterinburg –
Ishim).
Route
The Chester southerly bypass
The A55 begins at junction 12 of the
M53, the southern end of the motorway, near
Chester. It is known as the Chester southerly bypass between J39 Christleton and J36a Broughton. The A55 crosses the
River Dee and the
border
Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
into Wales, passing close to
Broughton, Flintshire
Broughton ( cy, Brychdyn) is a large village in Flintshire, Wales, close to the Wales–England border, located to the west of the city of Chester, England, in the community of Broughton and Bretton. Along with the nearby village of Bretton, ...
, and passing north of
Buckley
Buckley may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Buckley's, a Canadian pharmaceutical corporation
* Buckley Aircraft, an American aircraft manufacturer
* Buckley Broadcasting, an American broadcasting company
* Buckley School (California), ...
,
Penyffordd
Penyffordd is a village, community and electoral ward in Flintshire, Wales, situated to the south east of Buckley and to the west of Chester. The name is derived from the Welsh ''Pen Y Ffordd'' – roughly translated as "the highest or furthe ...
and
Northop
Northop ( cy, Llaneurgain) is a village, community and electoral ward situated in Flintshire, Wales, approximately 12 miles west of the city of Chester, midway between Mold and Flint, and situated just off junction 33 of the A55 North Wale ...
. There is a major climb between Broughton and Dobshill (Junctions 36a Broughton to 35 Dobshill) though with no crawler lane. Junction 34/33b is point at which the
A494 converges and then diverges with the A55. The road briefly has a three-lane section as westbound traffic from
Queensferry can leave towards
Mold
A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not ...
. In the eastbound direction another short three-lane section allows vehicles to join the A494 or exit onto the A55 to Chester. Traffic taking the A55 into England must negotiate a tight 270 degree speed-limited single lane curve to climb up and over the A55/A494 at Ewloe loops. Plans to upgrade the A494 between this junction at
Ewloe
Ewloe (; cy, Ewlo, ) is a village and electoral ward in the community of Hawarden in Flintshire, Wales. It is situated close to the Flintshire/ Cheshire sector of the Wales-England border. The A55 expressway passes through Ewloe and its mos ...
and Queensferry were rejected by the
Welsh Government
, image =
, caption =
, date_established =
, country = Wales
, address =
, leader_title = First Minister ()
, appointed = First Minister approved by the Senedd, ceremonially appointed ...
on 26 March 2008 due to their scale.
Ewloe to Colwyn Bay
![Rhuallt hill A55 - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1c/Rhuallt_hill_A55_-_geograph.org.uk_-_29554.jpg)
From Ewloe, the road is relatively flat until after Northop when it climbs up onto the flanks of Halkyn Mountain range, passing to the southwest of
Holywell
Holywell may refer to:
* Holywell, Flintshire, Wales
* Holywell, Swords, Ireland
* Holywell, Bedfordshire, England
* Holywell, Cambridgeshire, England
* Holywell, Cornwall, England
* Holywell, Dorset, England
* Holywell, Eastbourne, East Susse ...
with major climbs between
Northop
Northop ( cy, Llaneurgain) is a village, community and electoral ward situated in Flintshire, Wales, approximately 12 miles west of the city of Chester, midway between Mold and Flint, and situated just off junction 33 of the A55 North Wale ...
and Halkyn (Junctions 33 and 32b) and Halkyn and
Holywell
Holywell may refer to:
* Holywell, Flintshire, Wales
* Holywell, Swords, Ireland
* Holywell, Bedfordshire, England
* Holywell, Cambridgeshire, England
* Holywell, Cornwall, England
* Holywell, Dorset, England
* Holywell, Eastbourne, East Susse ...
Summit (Junctions 32 and 31). This section of road is notorious for poor weather conditions including fog, ice and snow in winter months. In fine weather, however there are extensive views over the
River Dee estuary to the
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral (; ), known locally as The Wirral, is a peninsula in North West England. The roughly rectangular peninsula is about long and wide and is bounded by the River Dee to the west (forming the boundary with Wales), the River Mersey to ...
,
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a populat ...
and beyond. The highest part of the road is in the vicinity of Brynford at around 790 feet (240 m). The steep descent towards
St Asaph
St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...
is down the new Rhuallt Hill (Junctions 29 to 28), which also provides the first views of the mountains of
Snowdonia
Snowdonia or Eryri (), is a mountainous region in northwestern Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three national parks in Wales, in 1951.
Name and extent
It was a commonly held belief that the na ...
in the far distance. There is a crawler lane on Rhuallt Hill for eastbound traffic. The road bypasses St Asaph to the north, and runs past
Bodelwyddan
Bodelwyddan () is a village, electoral ward and community in Denbighshire, Wales, approximately 5 miles (8 km) South of Rhyl. The Parish includes several smaller hamlets such as Marli and Pengwern.
Bodelwyddan is home to over sixty liste ...
and
Abergele
Abergele (; ; ) is a market town and community, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, in Conwy County Borough and in the historic county of Denbighshire. Its northern suburb of Pensarn lies ...
to reach the
North Wales
North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...
coast at
Pensarn
Pensarn is a suburb of Abergele in Conwy County Borough, Wales, the name Pensarn means 'end of the causeway' in English. The crossing of Morfa Rhuddlan was facilitated by a causeway near the sea, located at this point. This causeway was later de ...
(Junction 23A). From here onwards to
Bangor, the route is close to the
North Wales Coast railway.
Colwyn Bay Bypass
Two sections between (Junction 23)
Llanddulas
Llanddulas is a village in Conwy county borough, Wales, midway between Old Colwyn and Abergele and next to the North Wales Expressway in the community of Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-Foel. The village lies beneath the limestone hill of Cefn-yr-Og ...
to (Junction 17)
Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
are signed as a 70 mph (110 km/h) speed limit because they are actually
special road
A special road is a road or highway (these terms have different meaning in different jurisdictions in the UK) in the United Kingdom reserved for use by ''special'' classes of traffic; such roads include but are not limited to motorways. For a ro ...
s. This is because these sections were built under legislation for building motorways but they were never declared as motorways. Legally it means these two stretches of the A55 are neither part of the national UK motorway network nor
trunk roads. As such, the national speed limit does not apply so 70 mph (110 km/h) signs (the maximum speed permitted on UK roads) are used instead. Unlike other sections of the A55 that have
National Speed Limit (NSL) signage and are accessible to all motor vehicles, motorway restrictions are enforced on these two stretches of road (therefore no pedestrians, learner drivers, ''etc'').
A 50 mph (80 km/h) limit remains in force through the
Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay ( cy, Bae Colwyn) is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorpo ...
bypass (
Old Colwyn to
Mochdre). The restriction was imposed for several reasons. First as a safety precaution because the slip-roads on this stretch are unusually short due to the road's design. Part of it was built on a narrow swathe of land through the town that was once the
North Wales coast railway;
Colwyn Bay railway station
, symbol_location = gb
, symbol = rail
, image = Colwyn Bay Station (geograph 4087378) (cropped).jpg
, caption = Colwyn Bay Station in July 2014
, borough = Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough
, country = Wales
, coordinates =
, grid_name = ...
had to be rebuilt and the track bed realigned to complete the underpass as the road used the former railway Goods Yard which was relocated to Llandudno Junction. The former four-track railway was reduced to two more northerly tracks to make space for the road. Secondly, the reduced speed limit was intended to reduce road noise for residents. However, since the completion of the Colwyn Bay bypass, the lower speed limit has been an unpopular decision with drivers.
Conwy Tunnel
![Conwy Road Tunnel - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/Conwy_Road_Tunnel_-_geograph.org.uk_-_69955.jpg)
The crossing of the estuary of the
River Conwy
, name_etymology =
, image = Boats in River Conwy.jpg
, image_size = 300
, image_caption = Boats in the river estuary at Conwy
, map =
, map_size =
, map_caption =
, pus ...
is by means of an
immersed tube
An immersed tube (or immersed tunnel) is a kind of undersea tunnel composed of segments, constructed elsewhere and floated to the tunnel site to be sunk into place and then linked together. They are commonly used for road and rail crossings of ...
tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, dug through surrounding soil, earth or rock, and enclosed except for the entrance and exit, commonly at each end. A pipeline is not a tunnel, though some recent tunnels have used immersed tube cons ...
, the first of its kind constructed in the United Kingdom. At 1060m, the tunnel is the longest road tunnel in Wales.
The decision to construct an immersed tube tunnel bypass followed an extensive public consultation, named the Collcon Feasibility Study. This ruled out another bridge by the castle on aesthetic grounds, since it would have damaged the view of the world heritage site
Conwy Castle
Conwy Castle ( cy, Castell Conwy; ) is a fortification in Conwy, located in North Wales. It was built by Edward I, during his conquest of Wales, between 1283 and 1287. Constructed as part of a wider project to create the walled town of Conw ...
, and the two bridges by
Robert Stephenson
Robert Stephenson FRS HFRSE FRSA DCL (16 October 1803 – 12 October 1859) was an English civil engineer and designer of locomotives. The only son of George Stephenson, the "Father of Railways", he built on the achievements of his father ...
and
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE, (9 August 1757 – 2 September 1834) was a Scottish civil engineer. After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects in Shropshire, he designed numerous infrastructure projects in his native Scot ...
. Another alternative bridge crossing was proposed at
Deganwy
Deganwy (Middle Welsh ''Degannwy'', Brythonic *''Decantouion'') is a town and electoral ward in Conwy County Borough in Wales with a population of 3,936 (2011). It lies in the Creuddyn Peninsula alongside Llandudno (to the north) and Rhos-on-S ...
, but this too was ruled out for aesthetic reasons. An inland alternative with heavy grades which would have passed over
Bwlch y Ddeufaen pass at , following the old Roman road, was also worked up but rejected for cost and utility reasons as it would have required a very long crawler lane.
The tunnel was constructed by a
Costain
Costain is a surname of English, Scottish and Manx origin. When originating in Scotland and northern Ireland the surname is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic ''Mac Austain'', meaning "son of ''Austin''". The English surname is a reduced form of '' ...
/
Tarmac Construction joint venture, as pre-formed
concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...
sections, and then floated into position over a pre-prepared trench in the bed of the estuary. The 3 million tonnes of silt and mud extracted to create the trench in which the tunnel sections sat, were vacuumed to one side of the construction site, as to let them drift down river would have harmed the large
mussel fishing beds downstream. The silt was deposited upstream of the bridge at Conwy which created a large new area of low-lying land which was subsequently given to the
RSPB for a wildlife preserve. The casting basin for the tunnel sections was later converted into a new marina in the lower estuary. Because of the valuable fishery in the river and also because of the history of
heavy metal mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the Earth, usually from an ore body, lode, vein, seam, reef, or placer deposit. The exploitation of these deposits for raw material is based on the economic ...
in the catchment of the river, extensive
ecological
Ecology () is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps wi ...
assessments were made both prior to the construction of the tunnel and subsequently. These studies finally concluded that no significant environmental damage had been caused.
After five years of construction, the tunnel was opened in October 1991 by
Queen Elizabeth II, the tunnel initially had an advisory speed limit, but this was dropped in 2007 as accidents were rare in the tunnels.
Penmaenbach and Pen-y-clip tunnels
![A55 at Penmaenmawr](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f4/A55_at_Penmaenmawr.jpg)
Leaving Conwy in a westerly direction, the construction of this section has involved major civil engineering works because it crosses two major
headlands: Penmaenbach Point and Penmaenan Point. Work has involved the cutting of several hard rock tunnels beneath the sea cliffs.
The first to be built in 1932 was the Penmaenbach Tunnel which carried motor traffic to
Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr (, ) is a town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, which was formerly in the parish of Dwygyfylchi and the traditional county of Caernarfonshire. It is on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan and was a ...
. Two smaller tunnels through Penmaenan Point, opened 1935, carried the road onto
Llanfairfechan
Llanfairfechan ("Little St Mary's Parish") is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755, reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the ...
. This new route, carrying traffic in both directions, relieved the original coach road built by Telford in the early 19th century. Cut into the cliffs by hand, this narrow, winding route hugged the contours around both steep headlands. Telford's route has now been converted into a
cycleway
Cycling infrastructure is all infrastructure cyclists are allowed to use. Bikeways include bike paths, bike lanes, cycle tracks, rail trails and, where permitted, sidewalks. Roads used by motorists are also cycling infrastructure, except wher ...
across Penmaenbach and Penmaenan Points. Originally at the western end (Llanfairfechan) of the modern Pen-y-Clip tunnel, access was only allowed in an easterly direction because travelling the other way would mean heading the wrong way up the eastbound carriageway. However, in 2011 a purpose-built bridge – over the westbound carriageway – was constructed to allow unrestricted access to cyclists and walkers.
The 1930s alignment was used until a new two-lane Penmaenbach Tunnel opened in 1989 to carry westbound traffic. Eastbound traffic would now travel through the 1932 Penmaenbach Tunnel using both its original lanes. Four years later, work to build the Pen-y-clip tunnel was completed. Like at Penmaenbach it carried westbound traffic while the original road carried vehicles in the opposite direction. Both new routes were subject to an advisory 50 mph speed limit until these were lifted in 2007 as there had been few accidents.
However traffic travelling eastbound on the 1930s cliff-hugging route still faced speed restrictions at both tunnel locations. For instance the eastbound carriageway at Penmaenbach is subject to a 30 mph (50 km/h) speed limit due to sharp curves and double white lines nominally preclude lane changing. Plans to rectify the awkward alignment by building another tunnel parallel to the current westbound tunnel (as originally intended when the westbound tunnel was proposed) have been discussed for several years. The work in late-2007 at Penmaenbach eastbound has seen the erection of gantries to close lanes when bidirectional working is in place. New bridges over the railway tunnel entrances at each end were added and a footbridge over the railway at the eastern end to accommodate the cycleway.
Penmaenmawr to Anglesey
![Britannia Bridge - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Britannia_Bridge_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1718102.jpg)
Some sections of the rest of the route are of lower standard than that of those further east. Some traffic leaves for major holiday destinations such as
Caernarfon
Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...
or the
Llŷn Peninsula
The Llŷn Peninsula ( cy, Penrhyn Llŷn or , ) extends into the Irish Sea from North West Wales, south west of the Isle of Anglesey. It is part of the historic county of Caernarfonshire, and historic region and local authority area of Gwynedd. Mu ...
, though much continues on to the port of Holyhead. As such part of the route is not classed as clearway and has two at grade junctions (roundabouts), Penmaenmawr (Junction 16) and Llanfairfechan (Junction 15). The
Bangor bypass, in which the road previously terminated and became the
A5 regains high standards and is such through the
Anglesey
Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
section, bar the
Britannia Bridge
Britannia Bridge ( cy, Pont Britannia) is a bridge across the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. It was originally designed and built by the noted railway engineer Robert Stephenson as a tubular bridge of w ...
, which is a single carriageway deck above the
North Wales Coast railway over the
Menai Strait. In 2007 the Welsh Assembly Government undertook a consultation to determine which of four options would be preferred for a second crossing. This section intersects with the
A487
The A487, officially the Fishguard to Bangor Trunk Road, is a trunk road in Wales that follows the coast from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, in the south, to Bangor, Gwynedd, in the north.
Route
The road starts at a junction with the A40 i ...
towards
Caernarfon
Caernarfon (; ) is a royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,852 (with Caeathro). It lies along the A487 road, on the eastern shore of the Menai Strait, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is ...
, and the west coast of
North Wales
North Wales ( cy, Gogledd Cymru) is a region of Wales, encompassing its northernmost areas. It borders Mid Wales to the south, England to the east, and the Irish Sea to the north and west. The area is highly mountainous and rural, with Snowdonia N ...
.
Anglesey
![A55 Expressway - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/15/A55_Expressway_-_geograph.org.uk_-_153914.jpg)
The final section of the A55 to be constructed was the
Anglesey
Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...
section. This 20 mile (32 km) section from the end of the Llanfairpwll bypass to
Holyhead Harbour was constructed as
Private Finance Initiative scheme where the builders, a
Carillion /
John Laing joint venture, earn a
shadow toll
A shadow toll is a contractual payment made by a government per driver using a road to a private company that operates a road built or maintained using private finance initiative funding. Payments are based, at least in part, on the number of veh ...
based on usage and lane availability. They also have to maintain the road for the extended period of their shadow toll agreement. When travelling eastbound along this section there are fine views of Snowdonia. The approach to Holyhead required major work with a new section over the sea paralleling the
Stanley Embankment that carries the original A5 and the
North Wales Coast railway.
Improvements underway
Work started in early 2017 on the upgrading of the 1960s built substandard section of dual carriageway west of Abergwyngregyn from Tai'r Meibion towards Tan-y-lon, which is a relatively narrow section of dual carriageway and prone to flooding.
After a pause, work restarted on the scheme (now known as the Abergwyngregyn-Tai'r Meibion scheme) in 2021 and encompassing some 2.2 km of the A55. It involves constructing a new road to the north of the dual carriageway for general use including cycleway and farm access. This allowed the closure of 8 central reservation gaps used by slow moving agricultural vehicles which caused safety concerns with the volume and speed of traffic on the dual carriageway. The work was well underway in September 2021 and due to open fully in 2022.
Planned improvements
Plans are also in their final stages to grade separate the two roundabouts at Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan planned to be completed by 2022. A Public Inquiry was due to be held on 21/9/21 in Llandudno Junction concerning issues over the side roads.
The two roundabout improvements will now be treated separately and the full plans can be seen on the A55 microsite
In June 2021 the Welsh Government decided to review all road schemes whilst looking at public transport alternatives.
In September 2021 the Welsh Government announced an expansion of their plans for the North Wales Metro that may impact this road scheme. In particular longer turn plans to reopen old rail routes from Bangor to Amlwch and Bangor to West Wales (presumably a link to Cambrian Coast railway and possibly onwards from Aberystwyth to Carmarthen) may impact cash available for road schemes.
The Junction 16 scheme involves creating a new grade separated junction close to the Penmaenbach Tunnel with a single overbridge allowing access for all directions. This will replace the limited access junction 16A there for Dwygyfylchi. The existing junction 16 roundabout would be replaced by a limited access junction (westbound off/westbound on) as it is a difficult location close to the North Wales coast railway and cycle route and partly on a railway bridge. A new local road would run from the new Dwygyfylchi interchange to the existing roundabout passing around the rear of the Penguin Cafe/truckstop.
The Llanfairfechan junction 15 grade separation is much easier to achieve and will be completed on site as a grade separated junction with a single overbridge allowing access/exit for all possible directions.
In November 2012, the Welsh Government published two more detailed studies looking at options to improve transport in the North East Wales and the A55 / A494 areas. Possible changes to be considered further include
*applying
managed motorway concepts
*providing
hard shoulder
A shoulder, hard shoulder (British) or breakdown lane, is an emergency stopping lane by the verge of a road or motorway, on the right side in countries which drive on the right, and on the left side in countries which drive on the left. Many wide ...
s
*providing
crawler lanes at key points
*redesigning and improving slip roads.
History
The A55 partly follows the alignment of the
Roman road from Chester (Deva) to Caernarfon (
Segontium
Segontium ( owl, Cair Segeint) is a Roman fort on the outskirts of Caernarfon in Gwynedd, North Wales. The fort, which survived until the end of the Roman occupation of Britain, was garrisoned by Roman auxiliaries from present-day Belgium and Ge ...
), particularly from Junction 31 to 30 and Junction 13 to 12. Between Chester and Holywell the alignment of this road is uncertain and between St. Asaph and Abergwyngregyn, the Roman road followed an inland route, via Canovium Roman Fort at Caerhun, avoiding the difficulties of the crossing of the Conwy estuary and the cliffs at Penmaenbach and Pen-y-Clip.
A55 opening dates of major improvements
1930s
*Unknown date pre1832 Ewloe to Northop avoiding Northop Hall (shown of OS surveyor's 1832 hand-drawn survey map in Flintshire Archives)
*1931 or 1932 Northop Bypass
*Summer 1932 Holywell Bypass
*Unknown date 1930s? St. Asaph to Rhuallt dual carriageway and roundabouts
*Unknown date 1930s? Short section of 'experimental' concrete road west of St Asaph
*1932 Penmaenbach Tunnel
*1935 Pen-y-Clip Tunnels
*Post 1938 Vicar's Cross: A41/A51 interchange. (Directly over the site of Vicar's Cross, a mansion in occupation 1938 – Folliott family-this only became the A55 on completion of the Chester southerly bypass in 1976).
1950s
*1958 Conway new bridge avoiding Telford's suspension bridge opened 13 December 1958. This also included a one way system through Conwy with a new route for eastbound traffic around the town's north wall, eliminating a traffic lights at the town's narrow north gate. Originally it had been intended to go along the quay to the new bridge but this would have destroyed the harbour fishing industry.
1960s
*1960s Tai'r Meibion to Tan-y-lon dual carriageway east of Bangor
*1964? Ewloe roundabout (part of the A494 Queensferry to Ewloe dualling, the 'Aston Bypass')
*Unknown date 1965? Llysfaen dualling
*1968 Abergele Bypass
1970s
*1970 St. Asaph Bypass
*1975 Northop Hall Crossroads to East of Gables
*1976 Coed-y-Cra to Chaingates (Holywell)
*1976 Chester Southerly Bypass (terminating at Broughton with a single carriageway section for the final mile as this was planned to be superseded by the Hawarden Bypass on a more southerly alignment)
1980s
*1980 Britannia Bridge and link roads
*December 1980 Holywell By-Pass (Stage 1)
*March 1981 Diversion East of Abergele
*December 1983 Bangor By-Pass
*September 1984 Hawarden By-Pass (from a point east of Broughton on the Chester Southerly Bypass to Northop Hall)
*December 1984 Llanddulas to Glan Conwy (Colwyn Bay By-Pass, Stage 1)
*June 1985 Llanddulas to Glan Conwy (Colwyn Bay By-Pass, Stage 2)
*October 1986 Holywell By-Pass (Stage 2)
*December 1986 Bodelwyddan By-Pass
*June 1989 Penmaenbach Tunnel
*June 1989 Northop By-Pass (Northop Hall to Halkyn)
*October 1989 Penmaenmawr and Llanfairfechan By-Passes (excluding Pen-y-Clip Tunnel)
1990s
*May 1990 Travellers' Inn Improvement
*June 1991 Extension of Chester Bypass to M53 (Junction 12)
*25 October 1991 Tunnel crossing of the
River Conwy
, name_etymology =
, image = Boats in River Conwy.jpg
, image_size = 300
, image_caption = Boats in the river estuary at Conwy
, map =
, map_size =
, map_caption =
, pus ...
*May 1992 Rhuallt Hill Improvement
*October 1993 Pen-y-Clip Tunnel
*October 1994 Abergwyngregyn Improvement
2000s
*16 March 2001 Anglesey section (Llanfairpwll to Holyhead) including Llanfairpwll by-pass
*2000/2004 Penmaenmawr eastbound slip road and grade separation at the summit of the Rhuallt Hill
*2004 Improvements to railway underbridges and cliffs at Penmaenbach (eastbound)
*2007 Alterations to roundabout at Llanfairfechan and bidirectional road indicators at Penmaenbach (eastbound)
*2008 New overbridge between Junction 32A and 32B for improved local access
Services
There are three large service areas on the A55, along with numerous other petrol stations at the side of the road. The three major services are:
Bangor Services
(off J11) This service area is 200m off A55 via A5 southbound then turn right at roundabout onto A4244 before immediately turning right into services) – Starbucks, Subway, Greggs, Burger King, Travelodge, Esso, Costa Express
Gateway Services,
Ewloe
Ewloe (; cy, Ewlo, ) is a village and electoral ward in the community of Hawarden in Flintshire, Wales. It is situated close to the Flintshire/ Cheshire sector of the Wales-England border. The A55 expressway passes through Ewloe and its mos ...
Eastbound (After J33) – Starbucks, Greggs, Travelodge, Shell, Costa Express
Westbound (After J33B) – Costa Coffee, Subway, McDonald's, OK Diner, Holiday Inn, Shell, Costa Express, Deli2Go
Kinmel Park,
St Asaph
St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...
Eastbound (After J24) – Esso, Starbucks & Greggs
Westbound (After J25) – Esso, Starbucks & Greggs
Junctions
{, border=1 cellpadding=2 style="margin-left:1em; margin-bottom: 1em; color: black; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 100%;" class="wikitable"
, - align="center" bgcolor="00703C" style="color: #FFD200;font-size:120%;"
, colspan="5" , A55 road junctions
, - align="center" bgcolor="000000" style="color: white"
, km
, Westbound exits (B Carriageway)
, Junction
, Eastbound exits (A Carriageway)
, - align="center"
, 0.0
,
Holyhead ![British Rail - colour reversed logo](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/British_Rail_-_colour_reversed_logo.svg)
,
![Uk roadsign ferry](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Uk_roadsign_ferry.svg)
(Pedestrians)
![Uk roadsign ferry](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Uk_roadsign_ferry.svg)
(Motor vehicles)
Fish quay, Park and ride,
![UK traffic sign 801](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/UK_traffic_sign_801.svg)
Long stay
,
![UK traffic sign 510](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/UK_traffic_sign_510.svg)
[ Start of A55 – Holyhead Ferry Port]
, ''Start of road''
, - align="center"
,
, Local traffic
,
![UK traffic sign 543](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/UK_traffic_sign_543.svg)
TOTSO
Terminology related to road transport—the transport of passengers or goods on paved (or otherwise improved) routes between places—is diverse, with variation between dialects of English. There may also be regional differences within a single co ...
, Local traffic only
, - align="center"
, 0.5
, Town centre
A5154
,
![UK traffic sign 543](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/UK_traffic_sign_543.svg)
TOTSO
Terminology related to road transport—the transport of passengers or goods on paved (or otherwise improved) routes between places—is diverse, with variation between dialects of English. There may also be regional differences within a single co ...
, Town centre
A5154
, - align="center"
, 0.7
,
Trearddur Bay
Trearddur or Trearddur Bay ( cy, Bae Trearddur) is a village, seaside resort and community south of Holyhead on the west coast of Holy Island off the north-west coast of Anglesey in Wales. The community includes the small settlement of Penrho ...
B4545,
Kingsland
, J1
![UK traffic sign 510](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/UK_traffic_sign_510.svg)
,
Trearddur Bay
Trearddur or Trearddur Bay ( cy, Bae Trearddur) is a village, seaside resort and community south of Holyhead on the west coast of Holy Island off the north-west coast of Anglesey in Wales. The community includes the small settlement of Penrho ...
B4545,
Kingsland
, - align="center"
, 1.2
2.0
,
Trearddur Bay
Trearddur or Trearddur Bay ( cy, Bae Trearddur) is a village, seaside resort and community south of Holyhead on the west coast of Holy Island off the north-west coast of Anglesey in Wales. The community includes the small settlement of Penrho ...
A5153 (B4545), Parc Cybi, Penrhos Stanley
![UK traffic sign 827](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/UK_traffic_sign_827.1.svg)
,
![UK traffic sign 801](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0f/UK_traffic_sign_801.svg)
Goods vehicles
, J2
,
Trearddur Bay
Trearddur or Trearddur Bay ( cy, Bae Trearddur) is a village, seaside resort and community south of Holyhead on the west coast of Holy Island off the north-west coast of Anglesey in Wales. The community includes the small settlement of Penrho ...
A5153 (B4545), Parc Cybi
, - align="center"
, 7.1
7.7
,
Valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
A5
, J3
,
Valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
,
Caergeiliog
Caergeiliog is a village in Anglesey, in north-west Wales. It is in the community of Llanfair-yn-Neubwll
Llanfair-yn-Neubwll is a village and community on the Isle of Anglesey in the north west of Wales. The community includes the villages o ...
A5
, - align="center"
, 9.6
10.2
,
Caergeiliog
Caergeiliog is a village in Anglesey, in north-west Wales. It is in the community of Llanfair-yn-Neubwll
Llanfair-yn-Neubwll is a village and community on the Isle of Anglesey in the north west of Wales. The community includes the villages o ...
A5,
Boderdern
, J4
,
Bryngwran
Bryngwran is a village and community in Anglesey Wales, located on the A5 trunk road. It lies west of Llangefni, south west of Llannerch-y-medd and south east of Holyhead, and includes the villages of Bryngwran, Capel Gwyn and Engedi.
...
A5,
Boderdern
, - align="center"
, 14.0
14.6
,
Rhosneigr
Rhosneigr (; ) is a village in the south-west of Anglesey, north Wales. It is situated on the A4080 road some 10 km south-east of Holyhead, and is on the Anglesey Coastal Path. From the clock at the centre of the village can be seen RAF V ...
,
Aberffraw
Aberffraw is a village and community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey ( cy, Ynys Môn), in Wales, by the west bank of the Afon Ffraw (Ffraw River). The community includes Soar and Dothan. Located near the A4080 and the neares ...
A4080,
Bryngwran
Bryngwran is a village and community in Anglesey Wales, located on the A5 trunk road. It lies west of Llangefni, south west of Llannerch-y-medd and south east of Holyhead, and includes the villages of Bryngwran, Capel Gwyn and Engedi.
...
(A5)
, J5
,
Rhosneigr
Rhosneigr (; ) is a village in the south-west of Anglesey, north Wales. It is situated on the A4080 road some 10 km south-east of Holyhead, and is on the Anglesey Coastal Path. From the clock at the centre of the village can be seen RAF V ...
,
Aberffraw
Aberffraw is a village and community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey ( cy, Ynys Môn), in Wales, by the west bank of the Afon Ffraw (Ffraw River). The community includes Soar and Dothan. Located near the A4080 and the neares ...
A4080,
Gwalchmai (A5)
, - align="center"
, 23.2
24.0
,
Rhostrehwfa A5,
Llangefni
Llangefni (meaning "church on the River Cefni", ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. United Kingdom Census 2011 recorded Llangefni's population as 5,116 people, ma ...
(A5114)
, J6
,
Pentre Berw
Pentre Berw () is a small village located on the island of Anglesey in north Wales. It lies about south of the county town of Llangefni, and next to Gaerwen.
Description
The A5 and the A55 runs through the village as does the disused Anglese ...
A5,
Llangefni
Llangefni (meaning "church on the River Cefni", ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. United Kingdom Census 2011 recorded Llangefni's population as 5,116 people, ma ...
(A5114)
, - align="center"
, 27.8
28.6
,
Gaerwen
Gaerwen () is a village on the island of Anglesey in the community of Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog. It is located in the south of the island west of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll and southeast of Llangefni . The A5 runs through the village, and the A55 r ...
,
Pentre Berw
Pentre Berw () is a small village located on the island of Anglesey in north Wales. It lies about south of the county town of Llangefni, and next to Gaerwen.
Description
The A5 and the A55 runs through the village as does the disused Anglese ...
A5152 (A5)
, J7
,
Gaerwen
Gaerwen () is a village on the island of Anglesey in the community of Llanfihangel Ysgeifiog. It is located in the south of the island west of Llanfairpwllgwyngyll and southeast of Llangefni . The A5 runs through the village, and the A55 r ...
,
Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll
Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, or Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll (), is a large village and local government community on the island of Anglesey, Wales, on the Menai Strait next to the Britannia Bridge and across the strait from Bangor. Both shortened (Llanfa ...
A5152 (A5)
, - align="center"
, 31.3
,
Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll
Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, or Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll (), is a large village and local government community on the island of Anglesey, Wales, on the Menai Strait next to the Britannia Bridge and across the strait from Bangor. Both shortened (Llanfa ...
A5,
Star
, J7A
, ''No access''
, - align="center"
, 32.9
33.4
,
Benllech
Benllech (; ) is a large village on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. It is in the community of Llanfair-Mathafarn-Eithaf, which has a population of 3,382, making it the fourth largest settlement on the island of Anglesey. The name of Benllech v ...
,
Amlwch
Amlwch (; ) is a port town and community in Wales. It is situated on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey, on the A5025 which connects it to Holyhead and to Menai Bridge. As well as Amlwch town and Amlwch Port, other settlements within t ...
A5025
, J8
,
Menai Bridge
Menai Bridge ( cy, Porthaethwy; usually referred to colloquially as Y Borth) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thom ...
,
Amlwch
Amlwch (; ) is a port town and community in Wales. It is situated on the north coast of the Isle of Anglesey, on the A5025 which connects it to Holyhead and to Menai Bridge. As well as Amlwch town and Amlwch Port, other settlements within t ...
A5025
, - align="center"
, 33.8
,
Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll
Llanfairpwllgwyngyll, or Llanfair Pwllgwyngyll (), is a large village and local government community on the island of Anglesey, Wales, on the Menai Strait next to the Britannia Bridge and across the strait from Bangor. Both shortened (Llanfa ...
A5(W),
Menai Bridge
Menai Bridge ( cy, Porthaethwy; usually referred to colloquially as Y Borth) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thom ...
A5(E),
Beaumaris
Beaumaris ( ; cy, Biwmares ) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in Wales, of which it is the former county town of Anglesey. It is located at the eastern entrance to the Menai Strait, the tidal waterway separating Anglesey from th ...
(A545)
, J8A
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, - align="center"
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering
Isle of Anglesey
Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island, ...
''
,
,
![UK traffic sign 520](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/UK_traffic_sign_520.svg)
, - align="center"
, 34.1
34.4
, colspan=3 , ''
Britannia Bridge
Britannia Bridge ( cy, Pont Britannia) is a bridge across the Menai Strait between the island of Anglesey and the mainland of Wales. It was originally designed and built by the noted railway engineer Robert Stephenson as a tubular bridge of w ...
''
, - align="center"
,
,
![UK traffic sign 520](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/UK_traffic_sign_520.svg)
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering
Gwynedd''
, - align="center"
, 35.3
35.6
,
Bangor,
Caenarfon A487
, J9
,
Bangor,
Caenarfon A487
, - align="center"
, 36.4
37.0
,
Bangor A4087,
Caenarfon (A487)
, J10
,
Bangor A4087
, - align="center"
, 40.3
40.9
,
Bangor,
Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
A5
, J11
''Services''
,
Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
A5
, - align="center"
, 43.6
44.2
,
Tal-y-bont
, J12
,
Tal-y-bont
, - align="center"
, 47.2
47.5
,
Abergwyngregyn
Abergwyngregyn () is a village and community of historical note in Gwynedd, a county and principal area in Wales. Under its historic name of Aber Garth Celyn it was the seat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. It lies in the historic county of Caernarf ...
, J13
,
Abergwyngregyn
Abergwyngregyn () is a village and community of historical note in Gwynedd, a county and principal area in Wales. Under its historic name of Aber Garth Celyn it was the seat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd. It lies in the historic county of Caernarf ...
, - align="center"
, 48.9
49.2
,
Llanfairfechan
Llanfairfechan ("Little St Mary's Parish") is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755, reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the ...
, J14
,
Llanfairfechan
Llanfairfechan ("Little St Mary's Parish") is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755, reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the ...
, - align="center"
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering
Gwynedd''
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering
Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
''
, - align="center"
, 51.7
,
Llanfairfechan
Llanfairfechan ("Little St Mary's Parish") is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755, reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the ...
, J15
![UK traffic sign 510](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/UK_traffic_sign_510.svg)
,
Llanfairfechan
Llanfairfechan ("Little St Mary's Parish") is a town and community in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is known as a seaside resort and had a population at the 2001 Census of 3,755, reducing to 3,637 at the 2011 Census. The history of the ...
, - align="center"
, 52.8
53.7
, colspan=3 , ''Pen-y-Clip Tunnels''
, - align="center"
, 53.8
54.2
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, J15A
, Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr (, ) is a town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, which was formerly in the parish of Dwygyfylchi and the traditional county of Caernarfonshire. It is on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan and was a ...
, - align="center"
, 56.2
, Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr (, ) is a town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, which was formerly in the parish of Dwygyfylchi and the traditional county of Caernarfonshire. It is on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan and was a ...
, J16
, Penmaenmawr
Penmaenmawr (, ) is a town and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales, which was formerly in the parish of Dwygyfylchi and the traditional county of Caernarfonshire. It is on the North Wales coast between Conwy and Llanfairfechan and was a ...
, Dwygyfylchi
Dwygyfylchi () is a village in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is part of the community of Penmaenmawr which has a population of 4,353. The electoral ward of Capelulo which includes Dwygyfylchi had a population of 1,485 in 2011. It was formerly ...
, - align="center"
,
, ''Services''
,
, ''No access''
, - align="center"
, 57.8
57.8
, Dwygyfylchi
Dwygyfylchi () is a village in Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is part of the community of Penmaenmawr which has a population of 4,353. The electoral ward of Capelulo which includes Dwygyfylchi had a population of 1,485 in 2011. It was formerly ...
, J16A
, ''No access''
, - align="center"
, 58.4
59.1
, colspan=3 , ''Penmaenbach Tunnels''
, - align="center"
, 60.4
61.0
, Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
A547
''End of special road''
, J17
, Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
A547
''Start of special road''
, - align="center"
, 61.8
62.9
, colspan=3 , ''Conwy Tunnel''![UK traffic sign 529](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/UK_traffic_sign_529.1.svg)
()
, - align="center"
, 63.6
64.2
, Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
(A547), Deganwy
Deganwy (Middle Welsh ''Degannwy'', Brythonic *''Decantouion'') is a town and electoral ward in Conwy County Borough in Wales with a population of 3,936 (2011). It lies in the Creuddyn Peninsula alongside Llandudno (to the north) and Rhos-on-S ...
A546
, J18
, Deganwy
Deganwy (Middle Welsh ''Degannwy'', Brythonic *''Decantouion'') is a town and electoral ward in Conwy County Borough in Wales with a population of 3,936 (2011). It lies in the Creuddyn Peninsula alongside Llandudno (to the north) and Rhos-on-S ...
A546, Llandudno Junction
Llandudno Junction ( cy, Cyffordd Llandudno), once known as Tremarl, is a village in the county borough of Conwy, Wales. It is part of the ancient parish of Llangystennin, and it is located south of Llandudno. It adjoins Deganwy and is to the ...
(A547)
, - align="center"
, 64.8
65.5
, Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
, Llandudno A470
, J19
, Llandudno, Betws-y-Coed
Betws-y-coed (; '' en, prayer house in the wood'') is a village and community in the Conwy valley in Conwy County Borough, Wales, located in the historic county of Caernarfonshire, right on the boundary with Denbighshire, in the Gwydir Forest. ...
A470
, - align="center"
, 68.7
69.8
, Rhos-on-Sea
Rhos-on-Sea ( cy, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos) is a seaside resort and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,593 at the 2011 census. It adjoins Colwyn Bay and is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late ...
(B5115)
, J20
, Rhos-on-Sea
Rhos-on-Sea ( cy, Llandrillo-yn-Rhos) is a seaside resort and community in Conwy County Borough, Wales. The population was 7,593 at the 2011 census. It adjoins Colwyn Bay and is named after the Welsh kingdom of Rhos established there in late ...
B5115
, - align="center"
, 70.6
71.0
, Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay ( cy, Bae Colwyn) is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorpo ...
B5104
, J21
, Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay ( cy, Bae Colwyn) is a town, community and seaside resort in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales overlooking the Irish Sea. It lies within the historic county of Denbighshire. Eight neighbouring communities are incorpo ...
B5104
, - align="center"
, 71.5
72.0
, Old Colwyn (A547)
, J22
, Old Colwyn (A547)
, - align="center"
, 76.0
76.1
, Llanddulas
Llanddulas is a village in Conwy county borough, Wales, midway between Old Colwyn and Abergele and next to the North Wales Expressway in the community of Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-Foel. The village lies beneath the limestone hill of Cefn-yr-Og ...
A547
''Start of special road''
, J23
''Services''
, Llanddulas
Llanddulas is a village in Conwy county borough, Wales, midway between Old Colwyn and Abergele and next to the North Wales Expressway in the community of Llanddulas and Rhyd-y-Foel. The village lies beneath the limestone hill of Cefn-yr-Og ...
A547
''End of special road''
, - align="center"
, 80.0
80.4
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, J23A
, Pensarn
Pensarn is a suburb of Abergele in Conwy County Borough, Wales, the name Pensarn means 'end of the causeway' in English. The crossing of Morfa Rhuddlan was facilitated by a causeway near the sea, located at this point. This causeway was later de ...
, Rhyl
Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd'').
To the we ...
A548
, - align="center"
, 81.2
81.9
, Abergele
Abergele (; ; ) is a market town and community, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, in Conwy County Borough and in the historic county of Denbighshire. Its northern suburb of Pensarn lies ...
, Rhuddlan
Rhuddlan () is a town, community, and electoral ward in the county of Denbighshire, Wales, in the historic county of Flintshire. Its associated urban zone is mainly on the right bank of the Clwyd; it is directly south of seafront town Rhyl. ...
A547
, J24
, Rhuddlan
Rhuddlan () is a town, community, and electoral ward in the county of Denbighshire, Wales, in the historic county of Flintshire. Its associated urban zone is mainly on the right bank of the Clwyd; it is directly south of seafront town Rhyl. ...
, Prestatyn
Prestatyn is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Historically a part of Flintshire, it is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. Prestatyn has a population of 19,085,
History Prehistory
There is evidence that ...
A547
, - align="center"
, 84.6
, Towyn
Towyn ( cy, Tywyn) is a seaside resort in the Conwy County Borough, Wales. It is also an electoral ward to the town and county councils.
Location
It is located between Rhyl, in Denbighshire, and Abergele in Conwy.
Demography
According to th ...
, St. George
, J24A
, ''No access''
, - align="center"
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering Conwy
Conwy (, ), previously known in English as Conway, is a walled market town, community and the administrative centre of Conwy County Borough in North Wales. The walled town and castle stand on the west bank of the River Conwy, facing Deganwy on ...
''
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering Denbighshire
Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...
''
, - align="center"
,
, colspan=3 , ''Services''
, - align="center"
, 86.7
86.8
, Bodelwyddan
Bodelwyddan () is a village, electoral ward and community in Denbighshire, Wales, approximately 5 miles (8 km) South of Rhyl. The Parish includes several smaller hamlets such as Marli and Pengwern.
Bodelwyddan is home to over sixty liste ...
, Glan Clwyd
, J25
, Bodelwyddan
Bodelwyddan () is a village, electoral ward and community in Denbighshire, Wales, approximately 5 miles (8 km) South of Rhyl. The Parish includes several smaller hamlets such as Marli and Pengwern.
Bodelwyddan is home to over sixty liste ...
, Glan Clwyd
, - align="center"
, 88.2
88.8
, St Asaph
St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...
Business Park
, J26
, St Asaph
St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...
Business Park
, - align="center"
, 89.9
90.6
, St Asaph
St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...
, Rhyl
Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd'').
To the we ...
A525
, J27
, St Asaph
St Asaph (; cy, Llanelwy "church on the Elwy") is a city and community on the River Elwy in Denbighshire, Wales. In the 2011 Census it had a population of 3,355, making it the second-smallest city in Britain in terms of population and urban ...
, Rhyl
Rhyl (; cy, Y Rhyl, ) is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. The town lies within the historic boundaries of Flintshire, on the north-east coast of Wales at the mouth of the River Clwyd ( Welsh: ''Afon Clwyd'').
To the we ...
A525
, - align="center"
, 91.6
91.6
, Denbigh A525
, J27A
, ''No access''
, - align="center"
, 92.9
93.2
, Rhuallt (B5429), Trefnant
Trefnant is a village and community in Denbighshire, Wales. It is located on the A525 road in the Vale of Clwyd (''Dyffryn Clwyd''), about halfway between St Asaph (''Llanelwy'') to the north and Denbigh to the south. At the 2001 Census, the c ...
, J28
, Rhuallt, Tremeirchion B5429
, - align="center"
, 96.7
97.3
, Rhuallt, Tremeirchion (B5429)
, J29
,
, - align="center"
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering Denbighshire
Denbighshire ( ; cy, Sir Ddinbych; ) is a county in the north-east of Wales. Its borders differ from the historic county of the same name. This part of Wales contains the country's oldest known evidence of habitation – Pontnewydd (Bontnewy ...
''
,
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering Flintshire
, settlement_type = County
, image_skyline =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, image_flag =
, image_shield = Arms of Flint ...
''
, - align="center"
, 99.0
99.3
, Tremeirchion
, J30
,
, - align="center"
, 100.3
100.8
, Prestatyn
Prestatyn is a seaside town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Historically a part of Flintshire, it is located on the Irish Sea coast, to the east of Rhyl. Prestatyn has a population of 19,085,
History Prehistory
There is evidence that ...
A5151, Caerwys
Caerwys is a town in Flintshire, Wales. It is just under two miles from the A55 road, A55 North Wales Expressway and one mile from the A541 road, A541 Mold, Flintshire, Mold-Denbigh road. At the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census, the popula ...
B5122
, J31
, Holywell
Holywell may refer to:
* Holywell, Flintshire, Wales
* Holywell, Swords, Ireland
* Holywell, Bedfordshire, England
* Holywell, Cambridgeshire, England
* Holywell, Cornwall, England
* Holywell, Dorset, England
* Holywell, Eastbourne, East Susse ...
A5026, Caerwys
Caerwys is a town in Flintshire, Wales. It is just under two miles from the A55 road, A55 North Wales Expressway and one mile from the A541 road, A541 Mold, Flintshire, Mold-Denbigh road. At the United Kingdom Census 2001, 2001 Census, the popula ...
A5151 (B5122)
, - align="center"
, 108.7
108.8
, Holywell
Holywell may refer to:
* Holywell, Flintshire, Wales
* Holywell, Swords, Ireland
* Holywell, Bedfordshire, England
* Holywell, Cambridgeshire, England
* Holywell, Cornwall, England
* Holywell, Dorset, England
* Holywell, Eastbourne, East Susse ...
A5026
, J32
, Rhosesmor (B5123)
, - align="center"
, 109.3
109.9
, Rhosesmor B5123
, J32A
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, - align="center"
, 111.3
111.4
, Pentre Halkyn
Pentre Halkyn ( cy, Pentre Helygain) is a small village in Flintshire, Wales. It is situated approximately two miles from Holywell, Flintshire, Holywell, and is off Junction 32 of the A55 road, A55 North Wales Expressway. It has a quarry, a smal ...
, Rhosesmor
, J32B
, ''No access''
, - align="center"
, 114.6
115.3
, Flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and sta ...
A5119
, J33
, Mold
A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not ...
, Flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and sta ...
A5119
, - align="center"
, 116.5
, Connah's Quay
Connah's Quay ( cy, Cei Connah), known locally as "The Quay" and formerly known as Wepre, is a town and community in Flintshire, lying within the Deeside conurbation along the River Dee, near the border with England. It is the largest town in ...
B5126
, J33A
, Northop Hall
Northop Hall ( cy, Neuadd Llaneurgain) is a large village and community near Mold, in Flintshire, Wales. Located to the east of Northop, near the A55 North Wales Expressway, the village is largely residential in character. At the 2001 Census, ...
, - align="center"
,
, colspan=3 , ''Services''
, - align="center"
, 120.0
, Mold
A mold () or mould () is one of the structures certain fungi can form. The dust-like, colored appearance of molds is due to the formation of spores containing fungal secondary metabolites. The spores are the dispersal units of the fungi. Not ...
A494
, J33B
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, - align="center"
, 120.5
128.8
, Queensferry A494
, J34
TOTSO
Terminology related to road transport—the transport of passengers or goods on paved (or otherwise improved) routes between places—is diverse, with variation between dialects of English. There may also be regional differences within a single co ...
ee notes/sup>
, Queensferry A494, Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
(M56)
, - align="center"
, 123.1
123.6
, Buckley
Buckley may refer to:
Businesses and organizations
* Buckley's, a Canadian pharmaceutical corporation
* Buckley Aircraft, an American aircraft manufacturer
* Buckley Broadcasting, an American broadcasting company
* Buckley School (California), ...
A550 (A549), Corwen
Corwen is a town and community in the county of Denbighshire in Wales. Historically, Corwen is part of the county of Merionethshire. Corwen stands on the banks of the River Dee beneath the Berwyn mountains. The town is situated west of Llango ...
(A5104)
, J35
, Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
A550
, - align="center"
, 125.3
125.9
, Pen-y-ffordd
Pen-y-ffordd is a hamlet in Flintshire, Wales. It is located between Holywell and Prestatyn, to the north west of Mostyn.
The actor and writer Emlyn Williams
George Emlyn Williams, CBE (26 November 1905 – 25 September 1987) was a ...
A5104
, J36
, Broughton, Pen-y-ffordd
Pen-y-ffordd is a hamlet in Flintshire, Wales. It is located between Holywell and Prestatyn, to the north west of Mostyn.
The actor and writer Emlyn Williams
George Emlyn Williams, CBE (26 November 1905 – 25 September 1987) was a ...
A5104
, - align="center"
, 128.5
, Broughton (A5104)
, J36A
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, - align="center"
, 128.6
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering and Flintshire
, settlement_type = County
, image_skyline =
, image_alt =
, image_caption =
, image_flag =
, image_shield = Arms of Flint ...
''
, ''Border
Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
''
, style=background:skyblue , ''Entering and Cheshire''
, - Align="center"
,
, Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
, Chester A483
, J38
, Chester, Wrexham
Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...
A483
, - align="center"
,
, colspan=3 , '' River Dee''
, - align="center"
,
, ''No access (on-slip only)''
, J39
, Chester A5115, Whitchurch A41
, - align="center"
,
, Chester, Nantwich
Nantwich ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It has among the highest concentrations of listed buildings in England, with notably good examples of Tudor and Georgian architecture. ...
A51, Whitchurch (A41)
, J40
, Chester, Nantwich
Nantwich ( ) is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East in Cheshire, England. It has among the highest concentrations of listed buildings in England, with notably good examples of Tudor and Georgian architecture. ...
A51
, - align="center"
,
, ''Start of road''
, rowspan="2", M53 J12
[ End of the A55 – becomes the M53]
, Chester, Helsby
Helsby is a village, civil parish and electoral ward in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Overlooking the Mersey estuary, it is approximately north east of Chester and south we ...
A56
''Non-motorway traffic''
, - align="center"
,
, Chester A56
, ''Road continues as'' M53 ''towards Ellesmere Port
Ellesmere Port ( ) is a port town in the Cheshire West and Chester borough in Cheshire, England. Ellesmere Port is on the south eastern edge of the Wirral Peninsula, north of Chester, south of Birkenhead, southwest of Runcorn and south of ...
''
, -
, colspan=4 , Notes
*Data from location marker posts are used to provide distance and carriageway identification information. Where a junction spans several hundred metres and the data is available, both the start and finish values for the junction are shown.
*Totso = "Turn off to stay on" meaning that the driver must leave the main carriageway to stay on the specified (A55) route.
, -
, colspan=4 , Coordinate list
See also
* Trunk roads in Wales
References
External links
Traffic Wales – containing A55 webcams
SABRE Roaders Digest – A55
* ttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/3624316.stm BBC News – ''Engineers look at more A55 relief'' – 03/09/2004br>The Motorway Archive – A55
The Chester-Bangor Trunk Road (A55) (Rhuallt Hill Improvement and Slip Roads) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/2091)
Other Statutory Instruments pertaining to the A55
Roads UK: A55
North East Wales Area Based Transport Study
November 2012
A55 A494 WelTAG Study – Stage 1 Appraisal
November 2012
{{DEFAULTSORT:5-0055
Roads in Cheshire
Roads in Anglesey
Roads in Conwy County Borough
Roads in Denbighshire
Roads in Flintshire
Roads in Gwynedd
Tunnels in Wales
Immersed tube tunnels in the United Kingdom