The course of true love never did run smooth – but our A-roads have kept people moving for 100 years

The world-famous Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is supporting National Highways celebration of the 100 years of A-roads campaign by highlighting the importance of the A-road network to tourism.

A little-known fact is that William Shakespeare often referenced travel in some of his most iconic works including Henry VI, Henry VIII and Two Gentleman of Verona.

This year sees the 100 anniversary, of the A-road network coming into place across the country.

The A46 is a strategic road link between the East and West Midlands, connecting Coventry and Warwickshire to the motorway network.

With the half-term school holidays on the horizon later this month, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust says the A46 is an important part of the transport mix bringing millions of visitors from across the world to Stratford-upon-Avon to see the birthplace of the famous playwright and poet.

Rachael North, director of museum and public programmes from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust said: “We know that Shakespeare travelled extensively during his lifetime, both during his time touring the country with his theatre company and to and from London.

“Today, visitors from across the globe are retracing his footsteps when they make their own journeys to Stratford to discover and learn more about his life, works and times, so ensuring as smooth a travel experience is an essential start of their experience.”

Notable Shakespearean references to the transport network include:

• "At last, with easy roads, he came to Leicester" - Henry VIII, Act 4 Scene 2
• "How the world goes... to the pace of it I may spur on my journey" - Coriolanus, Act 1 Scene 10
• "You have well saved me a day's journey" - Coriolanus, Act 4 Scene 3
• "get thee before to Coventry" - Henry IV Part 1, Act 4 Scene 2
• "Farewell, sweet lords: let's meet at Coventry" - Henry VI Part 3, Act 4 Scene 8
• "Whither travel you?" - Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act 4 Scene 1 
• "Look forward on the journey you shall go" - Measure for Measure, Act 4 Scene 3

The A46 is a strategic road link between the East and West Midlands, connecting Coventry and Warwickshire to the motorway network.

National Highways recently carried out a major upgrade at Binley Junction, near Coventry with the construction of a new dual carriageway flyover above the existing roundabout.

This means that drivers travelling along the length of the A46 no longer need to slow down to use the roundabout, reducing congestion and making journeys safer and more reliable.

The improvements at Binley also include:

• the construction of new northbound and southbound on and off slip roads
• upgraded access for pedestrians and cyclists, providing safer and improved access underneath the new flyover
• installing a toucan crossing along the A428, underneath the new flyover

The upgrade to the A46 means motorists can enjoy improve journey reliability and it will also support economic growth across the West Midlands.

National Highways Regional Director in the Midlands, Anita Prashar said: “The historical references to the transport network made by William Shakespeare show that even in years gone by, our transport network was pivotal in connecting people to places.

“Our modern A-roads have changed considerably from the days of William Shakespeare but our continued investment in the A-road network means we can continue to keep the roads safe and serviceable for the next 100 years. These roads are vital in supporting tourism and businesses by helping millions of people to explore some of our cultural gems across the country.” 

Major A-roads managed by National Highways make up around 58 per cent of the strategic road network across the country.  

For thousands of businesses, A-roads are essential to their commercial success and growth, and they depend on them for sourcing workers, receiving supplies and making deliveries. 

To keep these roads in a serviceable condition for years to come, National Highways has invested almost £319m on maintenance and repair schemes across the Midlands region over the past four years.

This includes repairs to things like road surfacing, lighting and drainage as well as technology upgrades and repairs to bridges and structures on our network. 

To make sense of the road system 100 years ago, each region was given a single letter to represent its category, followed by one or more numbers.  

Important roads between large towns and cities, and major connecting routes, became classified as A-roads.  

Perhaps the most famous road to be renamed was the Great North Road from London to Inverness, which became the A1.  

In 1936, the Trunk Roads Act created a national strategic road network, and would later come to include the new Motorways, which began to open in the late 1950s. 

The Great North Road, linking London and Edinburgh, became the A1 in 1921.  

Each road was given a single letter, denoting the road's category, and a subsequent number of between one and four digits.     

To find out more about the anniversary of A-road numbering, head online to