A50/A500 at Uttoxeter: New data shows over 60,000 new trips a week on junction by 2035

Data released today by Midlands Connect shows that by 2035, due to the economic success of the area, there could be 66,150 extra trips a week using the A50/A500 at Uttoxeter.  This new data has been called ‘compelling evidence for the upgrades needed to make the junction fit for the future’.

The analysis shows that by 2035, there would be potential to unlock 1,515 additional jobs and 2,890 additional homes in the area. This is the forecasted growth from the area which would seek to use this part of the network. If this growth is fully realised, Midlands Connect predicts that an extra 9,450 vehicles daily would seek to use this section of the A50.

Midlands Connect believes that highway performance on the A50 Central Section is likely to be significantly reduced if we cannot upgrade this vital route. This is due to severe delays at two junctions outside Uttoxeter, which can have average speeds as low as 14 mph. There is also increased safety risk at the key junctions, more rat-running from strategic movements and additional air quality impacts on the local roads and residents.

In 2022, Midlands Connect released a ‘road map’ document with a series of proposals for the A50/A500 which outlined how improvements in the route could add £12 billion to the region's economy over the next 60 years, help to unlock more than 12,000 jobs and reduce journey times by 30 minutes.

Research released by Midlands Connect in 2024 showed three junctions on a section of the A50 are all over 100% capacity every day and that cars are going as slow as 14 miles per hour at a vital pinch point in Uttoxeter.

Local MPs, councils and businesses are now asking for the project to be included in the upcoming Road Investment Strategies (RIS) and other schemes along the route to be included in future rounds, covering the period 2025 to 2040.

Midlands Connect, Roads Programme Lead, Swati Mittal said:

 “The A50/A500 and specifically around Uttoxeter is one of Midlands Connect’s priority road schemes, and this new data is more compelling evidence for the upgrades needed to make the junction fit for the future.

“The A50/A500, if upgraded, could be a real engine of economic growth for the whole country.”

Jacob Collier, MP for Burton and Uttoxeter and Parliamentary Advocate for the A50/A500, said:

“This new data reinforces what local people have known for years — the A50 around Uttoxeter simply isn’t fit for the future. Without action, growing traffic will mean more delays, more rat-running through our villages, and more pressure on local roads. Upgrading this route is about protecting our communities and unlocking real opportunities — thousands of new jobs, more affordable homes, and better connections for local businesses. Investment in the A50 isn’t just good for traffic flow, it’s a boost for our economy and a better future for families across the West Midlands.”

Staffordshire County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Economy and Skills, Martin Murray, said:

“The A50/500 corridor is one of Staffordshire and the region’s key transport routes and is vital to ongoing economic growth in the area.

“Staffordshire is at the heart of the country which is a strategic strength, with east/west connectivity increasingly important. 

“Ever growing use of the corridor means upgrading junctions and improving journey times is critical as we look to attract future inward investment.

“We look forward to continued close working with our partners to make the case to government, through the Fifty500 initiative, for future funding for the route.”