A4400 road
Encyclopedia
The A4400 was a main road in Birmingham
, United Kingdom
which previously formed a ring around the city centre. Junctions on the road were largely grade separated
, with pedestrians kept physically separate from vehicular traffic and most junctions allowing vehicles staying on the road to pass over or underneath those using the junction. It is now widely regarded as one of the classic urban planning
blunders of the 20th century.
Although seen as a revolutionary improvement when the first section of it opened in 1960, the 'Concrete Collar', as it became known, was viewed by council planners as an impenetrable barrier for the expansion of the city centre. In particular, it became unpopular with pedestrians, who were required to use subways at the roundabouts – an unpopular route due to fears of attacks by thieves and muggers. However, these fears are not held ubiquitously, with some users citing the efficiency of grade separated
design.
Since 1988, the city council has sought to recreate links between the city centre and the neighbouring areas, enlarging the city centre and improving the pedestrian environment across the city, with an emphasis on shifting vehicular movements out to the Middle Ring Road
. 'Improvements' in this context are defined in part as introducing pedestrian crossings to replace underpasses, and it is important to note that not everyone considers these modifications to be improvements.
in the 1943 and an Act of Parliament
permitting construction was passed in 1946. Due to financial controls, the first part of the ring road, Smallbrook Queensway, did not begin construction until 1957 and was completed in 1960. The entire ring road was opened by Elizabeth II in 1971.
However, since the 1990s, some of Queensway has been altered in order to reverse the earlier strict separation of road and pedestrian traffic with a view to providing a more attractive environment for pedestrians, deter through traffic, and reducing the severance effects of the Inner Ring Road. A number of the altered junctions are in regeneration areas, such as Masshouse
. In early 2008, the St Chads Queensway area near the St. Chad's Cathedral was modified to remove pedestrian underpasses and bring all pedestrian and car traffic back on to the traditional street level.
The road previously consisted on the following roads (anticlockwise from A38(M)
approach (Aston Expressway):
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which previously formed a ring around the city centre. Junctions on the road were largely grade separated
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
, with pedestrians kept physically separate from vehicular traffic and most junctions allowing vehicles staying on the road to pass over or underneath those using the junction. It is now widely regarded as one of the classic urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
blunders of the 20th century.
Although seen as a revolutionary improvement when the first section of it opened in 1960, the 'Concrete Collar', as it became known, was viewed by council planners as an impenetrable barrier for the expansion of the city centre. In particular, it became unpopular with pedestrians, who were required to use subways at the roundabouts – an unpopular route due to fears of attacks by thieves and muggers. However, these fears are not held ubiquitously, with some users citing the efficiency of grade separated
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
design.
Since 1988, the city council has sought to recreate links between the city centre and the neighbouring areas, enlarging the city centre and improving the pedestrian environment across the city, with an emphasis on shifting vehicular movements out to the Middle Ring Road
A4540 road
The A4540 is a Ring Road in Birmingham, England, also known as the Middle Ring Road, or the Middleway. There are proposals to make it a red route. It runs around the centre of the city at a distance of approximately . Birmingham City Centre is the area within this ring road. The ring road was...
. 'Improvements' in this context are defined in part as introducing pedestrian crossings to replace underpasses, and it is important to note that not everyone considers these modifications to be improvements.
History
It was first planned by Herbert ManzoniHerbert Manzoni
Sir Herbert John Baptista Manzoni CBE MICE was a British civil engineer known for holding the position of City Engineer and Surveyor of Birmingham from 1935 until 1963...
in the 1943 and an Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
permitting construction was passed in 1946. Due to financial controls, the first part of the ring road, Smallbrook Queensway, did not begin construction until 1957 and was completed in 1960. The entire ring road was opened by Elizabeth II in 1971.
Masshouse
Masshouse is a site within Birmingham, United Kingdom which is under development with the construction of 13 new highrise blocks intended for public services, commerce and residential purposes. When completed, the blocks will have a prominent position on the Eastside skyline.-History:The Masshouse...
. In early 2008, the St Chads Queensway area near the St. Chad's Cathedral was modified to remove pedestrian underpasses and bring all pedestrian and car traffic back on to the traditional street level.
The road previously consisted on the following roads (anticlockwise from A38(M)
A38(M) motorway
The A38, also known as the Aston Expressway, is a motorway in Birmingham, England. It is long and was opened on 24 May 1972. It forms part of the much longer A38 route....
approach (Aston Expressway):
- St Chads Queensway (now A38)
- Lancaster Street Queensway
- St Chads Circus Queensway
- Paradise Circus Queensway, below Birmingham Central LibraryBirmingham Central LibraryBirmingham Central Library is the main public library in Birmingham, England, and the largest non-national library in Europe. It is managed by Birmingham City Council...
- Great Charles Queensway (now A38)
- Suffolk Street Queensway (now A38)
- Holloway Circus Queensway (now A38)
- SmallbrookSmalbroke familyThe Smalbroke family was a powerful family between the early 15th and early 19th centuries, owning large areas of land in Birmingham, England.-15th-16th centuries:...
Queensway (unclassified) - St Martin's Queenway (demolished to make way for new Bullring development)
- Moor Street Queensway (unclassified) rebuilt into "Bus mall" renamed Moor Street Ringway
- James Watt Queensway (unclassified)
- Masshouse Circus QueenswayMasshouseMasshouse is a site within Birmingham, United Kingdom which is under development with the construction of 13 new highrise blocks intended for public services, commerce and residential purposes. When completed, the blocks will have a prominent position on the Eastside skyline.-History:The Masshouse...
, formerly roundabout over James Watt Queensway (demolished)