Trunk A-road

A5 traffic and collisions

The A5 is a trunk A-road of 247.6 miles in England and Wales, from Westminster to Isle of Anglesey. This page covers its traffic at 135 DfT count points since 2000 and the collisions police recorded on it.

Last updated: 15 September 2026
Data source: Department for Transport
Records analysed: 135 count points in 2025
Methodology: View methodology

Traffic in 2025 1.5bn vehicle miles
Average daily traffic 16,972 vehicles a day, both directions
Busiest section 55,970 A509 to A422
HGV share 7.1% of vehicle miles
Traffic since 2019 −1.1% same count points
Collisions, 2021 to 2025 2,154 29.1 per 100m vehicle miles

How busy is the A5?

On an average day in 2025, 16,972 vehicles passed each point on the A5, counting both directions. The busiest section is A509 to A422 (Milton Keynes), with 55,970 a day; the quietest listed is At A55, with 1,303.

Busiest sections, 2025

A509 to A422 carries 3.3 times the road’s average flow.

Sections of the A5 with the highest average daily flow, 2025
Section	Vehicles a day
A509 to A422 Milton Keynes · 1.2 mi · HGVs 2.8%	55,970
A4146 to A421 Milton Keynes · 1.4 mi · HGVs 3.2%	47,427
A49 to A5064 Shropshire · 1.1 mi · HGVs 6.5%	47,119
A421 to A509 Milton Keynes · 2.7 mi · HGVs 2.5%	46,652
M54 to A49 Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire · 6.6 mi · HGVs 5.9%	45,157
A422 to A508 / A422 Milton Keynes, West Northamptonshire · 3.3 mi · HGVs 2.9%	43,913
A458 to A49/ A5112 Shropshire · 2.0 mi · HGVs 7.1%	42,332
A49 / A5112 to A488 Shropshire · 2.1 mi · HGVs 6.1%	42,126
A4146N to A4146S Milton Keynes · 1.2 mi · HGVs 5.1%	40,878
A5 to M42 JN10 Staffordshire · 4.0 mi · HGVs 7.7%	39,497

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Route

Westminster to Isle of Anglesey · 247.6 miles in 2 stretches

Schematic route: each line joins the junctions at the ends of a DfT count point link.

A5 traffic and collisions by section

101 sections between junctions, in route order (2 separate stretches). Each is the average of its DfT count points, weighted by length. 7 short link roads and spurs (2.3 miles) count in the road’s totals but are not listed.

Show all 101 sections Tap a column heading to sort

Sections of the A5 in route order, 2025 traffic
#
1	A5204 to Marble ArchWestminster · stretch 1	0.1	27,688	3.3%	–	8	–
2	Sussex Gdns to Seymour StWestminster · stretch 1	0.4	25,383	3.4%	−28.1%	82	–
3	A501/A4209 to Praed StWestminster · stretch 1	0.1	26,480	1.8%	−26.5%	26	–
4	Praed St to A40Westminster · stretch 1	0.1	26,480	1.8%	−26.5%	5	–
5	A501 to A5205Westminster · stretch 1	0.6	16,825	4.4%	−24.8%	131	716.2
6	A5205 to B414Westminster · stretch 1	0.8	13,284	3.8%	−32.5%	77	376.9
7	B414 Kilburn Park Road to A4003Camden, Brent · stretch 1	0.6	15,514	3.4%	−5.4%	143	858.6
8	A4003 to A5 Cricklewood Broadway near Travel Lodge & Beacon BingoBrent · stretch 1	1.3	17,107	3.3%	+3.4%	222	566.5
9	A5 Cricklewood Broadway near Travel Lodge & Beacon Bingo to A5 Edgware Road meets Oxgate Lane (near Argos Staples Corner & Bensons for Beds)Brent · stretch 1	1.0	24,716	3.6%	+88.3%	88	184.0
10	A5 Edgware Road meets Oxgate Lane (near Argos Staples Corner & Bensons for Beds) to A5 W Hendon Broadway parallel to Woolmead AvenueBrent · stretch 1	0.5	11,287	0.7%	+3.3%	10	111.6
11	A5 W Hendon Broadway parallel to Woolmead Avenue to A5 W Hendon Broadway meets A504 Herbert RoadBarnet · stretch 1	0.3	20,996	3.3%	−16.6%	17	–
12	At A504Barnet · stretch 1	0.1	15,179	2.7%	−15.9%	7	–
13	A504 to A4006Barnet · stretch 1	0.7	21,836	2.7%	−13.4%	40	144.8
14	A4006 to A5150Brent, Barnet · stretch 1	0.4	18,044	2.5%	−4.3%	30	–
15	A5150 to A5109Barnet, Brent, Harrow · stretch 1	1.3	20,151	1.5%	−13.7%	134	281.2
16	A5109 to A5100Harrow · stretch 1	0.3	25,058	1.9%	−10.4%	40	–
17	A5100 to A410Barnet · stretch 1	0.9	15,496	1.7%	−3.9%	35	147.2
18	A410 to A41Barnet, Harrow · stretch 1	1.3	10,174	1.1%	−19.4%	15	61.4
19	A4012 to A5Central Bedfordshire · stretch 2	0.4	31,117	5.7%	+26.9%	15	–
20	A5 to A4012Central Bedfordshire · stretch 2	3.0	33,391	8.3%	+23.5%	46	27.2
21	A4012 to A5Central Bedfordshire · stretch 2	2.1	19,683	6.0%	+8.8%	28	35.7
22	A4012 to A4146Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes · stretch 2	6.8	23,891	5.3%	+12.4%	32	11.9
23	A4146N to A4146SMilton Keynes · stretch 2	1.2	40,878	5.1%	−5.1%	11	12.7
24	A4146 to A421Milton Keynes · stretch 2	1.4	47,427	3.2%	+12.3%	6	–
25	A421 to A509Milton Keynes · stretch 2	2.7	46,652	2.5%	−14.3%	14	6.1
26	A509 to A422Milton Keynes · stretch 2	1.2	55,970	2.8%	0.0%	11	9.6
27	A422 to A508 / A422Milton Keynes, West Northamptonshire · stretch 2	3.3	43,913	2.9%	−1.4%	11	4.5
28	A508 / A422 to A43West Northamptonshire · stretch 2	7.5	17,947	3.1%	−2.4%	49	21.7
29	Roundabout with A43 and A5 (Near Green Norton, Northamptonshire) to Roundabout where A5/A45 meet, North of Weedon Bec, NorthamptonshireWest Northamptonshire · stretch 2	7.8	9,790	5.8%	−0.7%	36	25.1
30	Roundabout where A5/A45 meet, North of Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire to Roundabout with A381 and A5 (East of Kilsby, Northamptonshire)West Northamptonshire · stretch 2	8.1	7,391	11.6%	+17.2%	46	42.0
31	A428W to A361West Northamptonshire · stretch 2	1.3	13,236	12.5%	+11.4%	9	–
32	A428 to A5/Danes Way roundaboutWest Northamptonshire · stretch 2	0.4	7,255	15.6%	+4.1%	0	–
33	A5 split to A426West Northamptonshire, Warwickshire · stretch 2	5.0	12,143	12.5%	−3.9%	26	22.4
34	A426 to A4303Warwickshire, Leicestershire · stretch 2	2.4	11,735	17.0%	−16.8%	3	–
35	A4303 to M69 J1Leicestershire · stretch 2	7.0	16,281	13.5%	−3.9%	47	24.1
36	M69 J1 to A47NLeicestershire · stretch 2	2.9	25,084	9.5%	+2.1%	24	19.9
37	A47N to A47Leicestershire, Warwickshire · stretch 2	0.4	34,600	6.3%	+1.7%	6	–
38	A47S to A444Warwickshire · stretch 2	3.2	19,721	10.8%	–	17	15.7
39	At A444Warwickshire · stretch 2	0.1	28,956	5.7%	−5.4%	fewer than 3	–
40	A444 to Kennel Lane, AtherstoneWarwickshire · stretch 2	1.7	20,079	6.7%	−4.7%	26	42.6
41	Kennel Lane to B4116 Holly LaneWarwickshire · stretch 2	2.1	19,123	10.0%	−6.7%	13	18.3
42	B4116 Holly Lane to M42 jn10Warwickshire · stretch 2	4.1	23,758	11.3%	−5.2%	44	25.6
43	M42 jn10 to B4116 Holly LaneWarwickshire · stretch 2	0.2	50,413	7.2%	+23.4%	4	–
44	A5 to M42 JN10Staffordshire · stretch 2	4.0	39,497	7.7%	−19.4%	20	6.8
45	A453 to A5 offshootStaffordshire · stretch 2	1.0	33,264	9.2%	−11.7%	3	–
46	B5404 to A38Staffordshire · stretch 2	3.8	28,321	10.3%	–	13	33.1
47	A38 to A5127 / A5148Staffordshire · stretch 2	1.7	22,841	11.2%	−5.5%	7	–
48	A5/A5127 to A38/A5026Staffordshire · stretch 2	0.3	41,744	7.9%	+72.8%	fewer than 3	–
49	A5127 / A51 to A461Staffordshire · stretch 2	2.2	38,913	11.1%	+1.8%	16	10.8
50	A461 to WHITE HORSE ROADStaffordshire, Walsall · stretch 2	2.5	27,830	11.1%	+9.8%	4	–
51	WHITE HORSE ROAD to A452Walsall · stretch 2	0.6	22,255	14.1%	−2.3%	4	–
52	A452 to A34Walsall, Staffordshire · stretch 2	3.3	28,097	10.3%	−5.7%	35	20.3
53	A34 to M6 TollStaffordshire · stretch 2	0.3	30,383	9.4%	−5.4%	4	–
54	A460 / A4601 to A34Staffordshire · stretch 2	1.2	17,397	9.0%	−1.2%	15	40.4
55	M6 J12 to A460 / A460Staffordshire · stretch 2	2.5	20,135	11.7%	+10.5%	13	15.3
56	M6 JN12 to A449Staffordshire · stretch 2	1.3	19,405	9.6%	+0.8%	11	24.9
57	A449 to A41Staffordshire · stretch 2	7.9	11,297	8.1%	−10.3%	27	17.1
58	A41 to B4379Shropshire · stretch 2	1.6	7,657	6.8%	−3.3%	3	–
59	B4379 to B5060Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin · stretch 2	2.7	5,955	6.8%	−28.9%	8	–
60	B5060 to B5061Telford and Wrekin · stretch 2	1.2	10,563	3.7%	–	4	–
61	B5061 to A442Telford and Wrekin · stretch 2	0.6	18,769	2.5%	−9.9%	9	–
62	A442 to M54Telford and Wrekin · stretch 2	0.8	19,364	3.6%	–	7	–
63	M54 to A49Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire · stretch 2	6.6	45,157	5.9%	+4.8%	12	2.4
64	A49 to A5064Shropshire · stretch 2	1.1	47,119	6.5%	+12.3%	8	–
65	A5064 to A458Shropshire · stretch 2	0.6	36,524	7.9%	+3.5%	6	–
66	A458 to A49/ A5112Shropshire · stretch 2	2.0	42,332	7.1%	0.0%	9	–
67	A49 / A5112 to A488Shropshire · stretch 2	2.1	42,126	6.1%	+9.5%	14	9.1
68	A488 to A458Shropshire · stretch 2	2.1	30,604	7.3%	+2.1%	10	9.0
69	A458 to A483Shropshire · stretch 2	13.2	19,783	8.8%	–	38	9.8
70	A5 Roundabout to A5(T)Shropshire · stretch 2	0.2	14,437	9.5%	–	fewer than 3	–
71	B4580/A5 Roundabout to A5 Roundabout near Mile End ServicesShropshire · stretch 2	1.4	26,422	8.9%	–	5	–
72	A495 / B4580 to A483Shropshire, Wrexham · stretch 2	5.9	27,605	8.5%	−4.5%	38	13.4
73	A483 to B5605Wrexham · stretch 2	1.2	9,537	3.6%	−19.7%	0	–
74	B5605 to A539Wrexham, Denbighshire · stretch 2	4.9	5,494	5.5%	−5.0%	8	–
75	A539 to B5437Denbighshire · stretch 2	7.3	4,837	7.4%	−5.1%	14	22.7
76	B5437 to A494NDenbighshire · stretch 2	3.5	3,691	10.1%	−26.9%	9	–
77	A494N to A494SDenbighshire · stretch 2	1.5	8,515	4.9%	−12.8%	fewer than 3	–
78	A494 to B4501Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Conwy · stretch 2	7.9	3,281	6.5%	−5.3%	8	–
79	B4501 to A543Conwy · stretch 2	5.0	2,919	4.1%	−2.9%	4	–
80	A543 to A470TConwy · stretch 2	6.3	3,607	3.1%	−4.9%	9	–
81	A470S to A470NConwy · stretch 2	0.1	6,675	2.7%	−21.2%	fewer than 3	–
82	A470N to A4086Conwy · stretch 2	6.0	6,586	1.7%	+50.6%	8	–
83	A4086 to B4409Conwy, Gwynedd · stretch 2	9.1	2,340	2.3%	−3.7%	9	–
84	B4409 to A55Gwynedd · stretch 2	3.4	11,907	1.9%	+8.9%	15	22.9
85	A55 to Rhodfa Penrhyn (Penrhyn Ave)Gwynedd · stretch 2	1.9	10,569	1.1%	−6.1%	5	–
86	Rhodfa Penrhyn (Penrhyn Rd) to Stryd Fawr (High St), BangorGwynedd · stretch 2	0.3	11,204	1.1%	−6.1%	0	–
87	Stryd Fawr (High St), Bangor to A4087Gwynedd · stretch 2	1.2	15,388	0.5%	+8.7%	6	–
88	A4087 to A487Gwynedd · stretch 2	1.8	11,971	0.5%	−8.1%	fewer than 3	–
89	A487 to A545Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	0.4	13,478	0.1%	−6.4%	0	–
90	B5420 roundabout to A545 roundaboutIsle of Anglesey · stretch 2	0.2	10,390	0.9%	−6.0%	0	–
91	B5420 roundabout Menai Bridge (Porthaethwy) to A55Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	1.0	7,041	0.9%	+2.5%	3	–
92	A55 to A4080Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	0.6	8,485	1.0%	+1.9%	fewer than 3	–
93	A4080 to A55Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	0.7	4,832	1.3%	−6.5%	fewer than 3	–
94	A55 to A5152Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	1.9	4,182	2.5%	−25.1%	fewer than 3	–
95	A5152 to A55Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	3.1	4,885	5.6%	−4.7%	5	–
96	A5114 to A4080Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	5.8	3,399	8.8%	−3.9%	10	28.9
97	A4080 to A55Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	2.7	2,011	4.4%	+26.9%	fewer than 3	–
98	At A55Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	1.6	1,303	1.2%	−6.3%	5	–
99	A55 to A5025Isle of Anglesey · stretch 2	0.5	8,030	2.4%	+12.0%	0	–
100	Junction between A5025/A5 to A5/A5153 junctionIsle of Anglesey · stretch 2	2.9	6,097	1.6%	−6.9%	6	–
101	A5/A5153 junction to A55 London RoadIsle of Anglesey · stretch 2	0.7	5,499	0.6%	–	0	–

Vehicles a day is the average daily flow in 2025. “Since 2019” compares the same count points. Collisions are those with the A5 as the first road, placed on the nearest section by their recorded position; rates (per 100 million vehicle miles) are shown for sections of half a mile or more with 10 or more.

A5 traffic by vehicle type

Cars and taxis make up 75.3% of the vehicle miles on the A5. HGVs account for 7.1%, rising to 17.0% on A426 to A4303.

Vehicle mix, 2025

Share of vehicle miles on the A5 by vehicle type
Category	Share
Cars and taxis	75.3%
Vans (LGVs)	16.3%
HGVs	7.1%
Motorcycles	0.9%
Buses and coaches	0.5%

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

HGV share of traffic

HGVs as a share of vehicle miles on the A5, by year
Year	HGV share
2000	9.5%
2001	9.0%
2002	9.1%
2003	8.8%
2004	8.6%
2005	8.5%
2006	8.4%
2007	8.6%
2008	8.3%
2009	7.6%
2010	7.6%
2011	7.3%
2012	7.2%
2013	7.2%
2014	7.1%
2015	7.4%
2016	7.3%
2017	7.4%
2018	7.5%
2019	7.6%
2020	9.3%
2021	9.0%
2022	8.2%
2023	7.8%
2024	7.4%
2025	7.1%

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

A5 traffic trend

Traffic on the A5 came to 1.53 billion vehicle miles in 2025. At the count points present in both years, it is down 1.1% on 2019, before the pandemic, and up 9.0% on 2015.

Vehicle miles a year

Like for like, traffic is up 18.7% on 2000.

Vehicle miles on the A5 each year, the whole road as it was that year
Year	Vehicle miles
2000	1.3bn
2001	1.3bn
2002	1.3bn
2003	1.3bn
2004	1.3bn
2005	1.3bn
2006	1.4bn
2007	1.4bn
2008	1.4bn
2009	1.3bn
2010	1.3bn
2011	1.3bn
2012	1.3bn
2013	1.3bn
2014	1.4bn
2015	1.4bn
2016	1.4bn
2017	1.5bn
2018	1.5bn
2019	1.6bn
2020	1.2bn
2021	1.4bn
2022	1.5bn
2023	1.5bn
2024	1.5bn
2025	1.5bn

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Average daily flow

Average daily flow along the A5, weighted by link length, by year
Year	Vehicles a day
2000	14,621
2001	14,362
2002	14,493
2003	14,618
2004	14,748
2005	14,763
2006	15,128
2007	15,307
2008	15,064
2009	14,926
2010	14,776
2011	14,923
2012	14,720
2013	14,773
2014	14,987
2015	15,276
2016	15,925
2017	16,356
2018	16,380
2019	17,239
2020	13,119
2021	15,094
2022	16,313
2023	16,571
2024	16,789
2025	16,972

Source:DfT,UK Motoring analysis 2000 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

The chart counts the whole road as it was each year, so new or renumbered stretches move it. The percentage changes compare only count points present in both years (89.9% of today’s road for 2019). In 2025, 42 of the 135 count points were counted; DfT estimated the rest from earlier counts and local trends.

A5 collisions

Police recorded 2,154 collisions with the A5 as the first road from 2021 to 2025, 506 of them fatal or serious, including 63 fatal. That is 29.1 per 100 million vehicle miles, close to the 31.5 for all A-roads in Great Britain. On average there were 1.7 a year for each mile of road.

Reported collisions by year

Down 10.9% from 2021 to 2025.

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Sections with the highest collision rates

Per 100 million vehicle miles, 2021 to 2025. Sections of half a mile or more with 10 or more collisions.

Collisions per 100 million vehicle miles by section of the A5, 2021 to 2025
Section	Per 100m vehicle miles
B414 Kilburn Park Road to A4003 Camden, Brent · 143 collisions	858.6
A501 to A5205 Westminster · 131 collisions	716.2
A4003 to A5 Cricklewood Broadway near Travel Lodge & Beacon Bingo Brent · 222 collisions	566.5
A5205 to B414 Westminster · 77 collisions	376.9
A5150 to A5109 Barnet, Brent, Harrow · 134 collisions	281.2
A5 Cricklewood Broadway near Travel Lodge & Beacon Bingo to A5 Edgware Road meets Oxgate Lane (near Argos Staples Corner & Bensons for Beds) Brent · 88 collisions	184.0
A5100 to A410 Barnet · 35 collisions	147.2
A504 to A4006 Barnet · 40 collisions	144.8

Source:DfT STATS19,UK Motoring analysis 2021 to 2025 Updated 15 Sept 2026

A further 234 collisions were recorded at junctions where the A5 was the second road; they are not in the figures above. Fatal or serious uses DfT’s adjusted serious figures. How we count collisions

Council areas on the A5

In route order. Each is the highway authority DfT files the count points under.

Westminster
Camden
Brent
Barnet
Harrow
Central Bedfordshire
Milton Keynes
West Northamptonshire
Warwickshire
Leicestershire
Staffordshire
Walsall
Shropshire
Telford and Wrekin
Wrexham
Denbighshire
Gwynedd
Conwy
Isle of Anglesey

Planned closures on the A5 in England

National Highways has 22 planned closures on the A5 between 16 September 2026 and 30 September 2026, 18 of them starting in that period. 4 close a carriageway rather than a lane or slip road, and 14 start between 7pm and 6am.

Carriageway A5 both directions Paulerspury to Towcester Racecourse roundabout carriageway closure

16 Sept 20:00 to 17 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip Lane closure northbound

16 Sept 20:00 to 17 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip A5 southbound Redmoor lane 1 closure (MP 74/0 to 72/0)

16 Sept 20:00 to 17 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Carriageway A5 southbound Redmoor exit slip road closure

16 Sept 20:00 to 30 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip A5 both directions Old Stratford Roundabout to Little Brickhill mobile lane closures

16 Sept 21:00 to 17 Sept 05:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip Lane closure northbound

17 Sept 20:00 to 18 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip A5 both directions Old Stratford Roundabout to Little Brickhill mobile lane closures

17 Sept 21:00 to 19 Sept 05:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip Lane closure northbound

18 Sept 20:00 to 19 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance

14 more planned closures in this period are not shown.

Planned closures only: National Highways can cancel or change them, and closures caused by incidents are not shown. Council roads in England are not covered. Roadworks and closures across the UK

Source:National Highways 2026-09-16 to 2026-09-30 Updated 16 Sept 2026

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures	Source	Period	Records	Updated
Traffic counts and vehicle mix	Road traffic statistics (AADF by count point) Department for Transport Derived statistics UK Motoring	2000 to 2025	135 count points in 2025	15 September 2026
Reported collisions	Road safety open data (STATS19) Department for Transport Derived statistics UK Motoring	2021 to 2025	2,154 reported collisions	15 September 2026
Planned closures	Transport Data Feeds (DATEX II) National Highways	2026-09-16 to 2026-09-30	2,304 planned closure schemes	16 September 2026

Annual average daily flow (AADF) is the average number of vehicles passing a point on a typical day of the year, both directions combined.
Vehicle miles are AADF multiplied by link length and 365, summed over every count point link on the road.
Sections join count point links between junctions, using the link lines in DfT’s major road database.
STATS19 covers personal injury collisions reported to the police. Damage-only collisions are not included, and not every injury collision is reported.
Serious and slight figures are DfT’s adjusted estimates, which allow for police forces moving to injury-based reporting.
Counts of one or two collisions below Great Britain level are shown as “fewer than 3”.

How we calculate these figures All data sources

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Police-reported collisions on the A5 by year: fatal or serious, and slight
Year	Slight	Fatal or serious
2021	347	104
2022	310	118
2023	352	104
2024	322	95
2025	318	84

How busy is the A5?

Route

A5 traffic and collisions by section

A5 traffic by vehicle type

A5 traffic trend

A5 collisions

Council areas on the A5

Roads that meet the A5

Planned closures on the A5 in England

Data sources and methodology

Related statistics