Trunk A-road

A52 traffic and collisions

The A52 is a trunk A-road of 150.2 miles, from Lincolnshire to Staffordshire. This page covers its traffic at 78 DfT count points since 2000 and the collisions police recorded on it.

Last updated: 15 September 2026
Data source: Department for Transport
Records analysed: 78 count points in 2025
Methodology: View methodology

Traffic in 2025 840m vehicle miles
Average daily traffic 15,314 vehicles a day, both directions
Busiest section 94,925 A453 Clifton Lane to A453 Queens Drive
HGV share 4.9% of vehicle miles
Traffic since 2019 −3.1% same count points
Collisions, 2021 to 2025 1,148 28.5 per 100m vehicle miles

How busy is the A52?

On an average day in 2025, 15,314 vehicles passed each point on the A52, counting both directions. The busiest section is A453 Clifton Lane to A453 Queens Drive (Nottingham), with 94,925 a day; the quietest listed is A52 Round (on East Side) to Roundabout B1174/A52, with 1,840.

Busiest sections, 2025

A453 Clifton Lane to A453 Queens Drive carries 6.2 times the road’s average flow.

Sections of the A52 with the highest average daily flow, 2025
Section	Vehicles a day
A453 Clifton Lane to A453 Queens Drive Nottingham · 0.5 mi · HGVs 2.3%	94,925
A453 Queens Drive to A6005 Nottingham · 1.0 mi · HGVs 2.8%	85,701
A6005 to A6200 Nottingham · 0.5 mi · HGVs 2.7%	68,679
A60 to A453 Clifton Lane Nottinghamshire, Nottingham · 1.3 mi · HGVs 4.6%	57,867
A5111/A6005 to A61 Derby · 2.2 mi · HGVs 2.6%	50,223
A606 to A60 Nottinghamshire · 1.2 mi · HGVs 5.8%	45,668
M1 to A6096 Derbyshire, Derby · 4.8 mi · HGVs 2.8%	43,559
A6007 to M1 Junction 25 Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire · 3.1 mi · HGVs 3.0%	42,895
A46 to A6011 Nottinghamshire · 5.4 mi · HGVs 5.3%	42,404
A6464 to A6007 Nottinghamshire · 1.5 mi · HGVs 2.1%	33,040

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

Route

Lincolnshire to Staffordshire · 150.2 miles in 2 stretches

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

A52 traffic and collisions by section

58 sections between junctions, in route order (2 separate stretches). Each is the average of its DfT count points, weighted by length. 12 short link roads and spurs (2.5 miles) count in the road’s totals but are not listed.

Show all 58 sections Tap a column heading to sort

Sections of the A52 in route order, 2025 traffic
#
1	A52 Round (on West Side) to A52 Round (on East Side)Lincolnshire · stretch 1	0.3	817	15.9%	–	0	–
2	A52 Round (on East Side) to Roundabout B1174/A52Lincolnshire · stretch 1	0.7	1,840	16.7%	–	0	–
3	A1111 to A1104Lincolnshire · stretch 2	2.6	7,231	1.2%	+1.1%	18	55.5
4	A1104 to Heath RdLincolnshire · stretch 2	14.4	3,672	1.4%	–	71	76.6
5	Heath Rd to A158Lincolnshire · stretch 2	1.1	12,407	2.0%	−5.2%	41	170.0
6	Heath Rd, Skegness to A16Lincolnshire · stretch 2	19.6	7,990	6.1%	−5.9%	82	29.8
7	A16 to A1137Lincolnshire · stretch 2	0.6	13,039	5.3%	−10.3%	48	335.6
8	A1137 to A1121Lincolnshire · stretch 2	0.9	17,666	3.1%	−2.6%	12	43.7
9	A1121 to A17Lincolnshire · stretch 2	5.7	7,885	7.2%	+7.3%	45	61.2
10	A17 to A152Lincolnshire · stretch 2	3.4	7,574	8.4%	−6.2%	10	22.1
11	A152 to A15Lincolnshire · stretch 2	8.3	6,350	8.7%	−5.4%	26	28.1
12	A15 to B1176Lincolnshire · stretch 2	8.5	5,760	8.4%	−5.3%	24	27.9
13	Barracks entrance to A52 High DikeLincolnshire · stretch 2	1.3	8,842	5.8%	−6.8%	8	–
14	Saltersford Road to A607Lincolnshire · stretch 2	0.6	12,256	4.9%	−4.6%	12	92.4
15	At A607Lincolnshire · stretch 2	0.6	14,590	3.5%	−5.7%	23	148.4
16	At A607Lincolnshire · stretch 2	0.6	10,276	2.8%	−6.1%	12	109.8
17	A607 to Edge of built up area near Gloucester RoadLincolnshire · stretch 2	1.2	13,146	3.5%	−9.0%	11	38.6
18	A1(T) to Gloucester Rd, GranthamLincolnshire · stretch 2	0.2	13,146	3.5%	−9.0%	fewer than 3	–
19	A1 Northbound to A1 SouthboundLincolnshire · stretch 2	0.3	6,573	3.5%	−9.0%	11	–
20	A1 to A46Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire · stretch 2	13.5	18,098	8.4%	−2.2%	88	20.6
21	A46 to A6011Nottinghamshire · stretch 2	5.4	42,404	5.3%	−8.1%	44	10.7
22	A6011 to A606Nottinghamshire · stretch 2	2.5	27,717	8.6%	+5.9%	26	21.4
23	A606 to A60Nottinghamshire · stretch 2	1.2	45,668	5.8%	+13.7%	16	17.7
24	A60 to A453 Clifton LaneNottinghamshire, Nottingham · stretch 2	1.3	57,867	4.6%	+0.9%	10	7.8
25	At A453Nottingham · stretch 2	0.2	37,970	2.3%	−2.2%	fewer than 3	–
26	A453 Clifton Lane to A453 Queens DriveNottingham · stretch 2	0.5	94,925	2.3%	−2.2%	12	15.2
27	A453 Queens Drive to A6005Nottingham · stretch 2	1.0	85,701	2.8%	+4.5%	20	14.2
28	A6005 to A6200Nottingham · stretch 2	0.5	68,679	2.7%	−1.7%	18	29.7
29	A6514 to A6464Nottingham · stretch 2	1.3	32,006	2.2%	−11.8%	29	38.3
30	A6464 to A6007Nottinghamshire · stretch 2	1.5	33,040	2.1%	−19.5%	39	38.8
31	A6007 to M1 Junction 25Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire · stretch 2	3.1	42,895	3.0%	−1.6%	54	23.3
32	M1 to A6096Derbyshire, Derby · stretch 2	4.8	43,559	2.8%	−5.9%	46	12.6
33	A6096 to A6005Derby · stretch 2	0.2	38,729	2.9%	−25.0%	3	–
34	A5111 to A6005 roundaboutDerby · stretch 2	0.1	38,729	2.9%	−25.0%	3	–
35	A5111/A6005 to A61Derby · stretch 2	2.2	50,223	2.6%	+1.9%	12	6.1
36	A61 to A601Derby · stretch 2	0.4	64,825	1.5%	+2.9%	19	–
37	Ford St to Bridge StDerby · stretch 2	0.2	14,147	0.9%	−6.0%	11	–
38	Bridge St to A38Derby · stretch 2	0.7	17,387	1.7%	−5.1%	23	107.0
39	A38 to Brun LaneDerby, Derbyshire · stretch 2	1.8	16,361	5.8%	+7.7%	19	37.4
40	Brun Lane to A515Derbyshire · stretch 2	10.3	10,082	8.2%	−3.0%	36	19.8
41	A515 to B5032Derbyshire · stretch 2	1.0	13,967	4.7%	+13.2%	3	–
42	B5032 to A523(T)Staffordshire · stretch 2	3.4	6,062	11.0%	−3.0%	3	–
43	A523(T) to A521Staffordshire · stretch 2	6.9	1,897	8.0%	−6.3%	4	–
44	A521 to A522Staffordshire · stretch 2	2.3	3,763	5.4%	−3.8%	3	–
45	At A522Staffordshire · stretch 2	1.2	8,853	4.0%	−6.1%	fewer than 3	–
46	A522 to A520Staffordshire · stretch 2	1.0	8,189	3.9%	−6.3%	fewer than 3	–
47	A520 to Rownall RdStaffordshire · stretch 2	0.6	10,329	2.1%	−5.4%	3	–
48	Rownall Rd to A5272Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	3.2	14,547	2.1%	+4.9%	29	35.4
49	B5040 to A5009Stoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	0.2	36,444	1.2%	+3.5%	5	–
50	A5009 to A50Stoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	0.8	24,948	1.5%	+5.8%	20	57.8
51	A50 to A52 Glebe StStoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	0.7	16,870	0.9%	+1.7%	6	–
52	A52 Copeland St to A52 Leek RdStoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	0.2	11,019	0.5%	−9.7%	fewer than 3	–
53	A52 Church st to A52 Glebe StStoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	0.3	7,304	0.7%	−5.7%	0	–
54	A52 Elenora St to A52 Shelton Old RdStoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	0.2	13,411	0.7%	−2.9%	4	–
55	A52 Shelton Old Rd to B5045Stoke-on-Trent · stretch 2	1.3	9,907	1.1%	−5.9%	6	–
56	B5045 to Borough RdStaffordshire · stretch 2	0.4	16,486	1.2%	−3.6%	4	–
57	A527 to A53 Borough RdStaffordshire · stretch 2	0.1	16,386	1.4%	+5.6%	0	–
58	A34 to A527/A53Staffordshire · stretch 2	0.3	20,995	1.6%	−8.3%	5	–

Vehicles a day is the average daily flow in 2025. “Since 2019” compares the same count points. Collisions are those with the A52 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.

A52 traffic by vehicle type

Cars and taxis make up 78.5% of the vehicle miles on the A52. HGVs account for 4.9%, rising to 16.7% on A52 Round (on East Side) to Roundabout B1174/A52.

Vehicle mix, 2025

Share of vehicle miles on the A52 by vehicle type
Category	Share
Cars and taxis	78.5%
Vans (LGVs)	15.5%
HGVs	4.9%
Motorcycles	0.6%
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 A52, by year
Year	HGV share
2000	6.9%
2001	6.3%
2002	6.2%
2003	6.2%
2004	6.1%
2005	5.9%
2006	6.1%
2007	6.2%
2008	5.8%
2009	5.4%
2010	5.4%
2011	5.4%
2012	5.3%
2013	5.4%
2014	5.4%
2015	5.4%
2016	5.3%
2017	5.3%
2018	5.1%
2019	5.0%
2020	6.0%
2021	5.9%
2022	5.5%
2023	5.3%
2024	5.1%
2025	4.9%

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

A52 traffic trend

Traffic on the A52 came to 840 million vehicle miles in 2025. At the count points present in both years, it is down 3.1% on 2019, before the pandemic, and down 2.2% on 2015.

Vehicle miles a year

Like for like, traffic is up 3.0% on 2000.

Vehicle miles on the A52 each year, the whole road as it was that year
Year	Vehicle miles
2000	796m
2001	821m
2002	825m
2003	835m
2004	837m
2005	845m
2006	847m
2007	829m
2008	816m
2009	818m
2010	809m
2011	804m
2012	822m
2013	822m
2014	833m
2015	852m
2016	867m
2017	873m
2018	875m
2019	880m
2020	644m
2021	733m
2022	806m
2023	820m
2024	835m
2025	840m

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

Average daily flow

Average daily flow along the A52, weighted by link length, by year
Year	Vehicles a day
2000	14,750
2001	15,188
2002	15,265
2003	15,515
2004	15,553
2005	15,676
2006	15,704
2007	15,374
2008	15,144
2009	15,176
2010	14,987
2011	14,911
2012	15,264
2013	15,264
2014	15,468
2015	15,823
2016	16,086
2017	16,185
2018	16,117
2019	16,174
2020	11,821
2021	13,450
2022	14,792
2023	14,956
2024	15,224
2025	15,314

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 (89.7% of today’s road for 2019). In 2025, 20 of the 78 count points were counted; DfT estimated the rest from earlier counts and local trends.

A52 collisions

Police recorded 1,148 collisions with the A52 as the first road from 2021 to 2025, 304 of them fatal or serious, including 36 fatal. That is 28.5 per 100 million vehicle miles, close to the 31.5 for all A-roads in Great Britain. On average there were 1.5 a year for each mile of road.

Reported collisions by year

Up 6.9% 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 A52, 2021 to 2025
Section	Per 100m vehicle miles
A16 to A1137 Lincolnshire · 48 collisions	335.6
Heath Rd to A158 Lincolnshire · 41 collisions	170.0
At A607 Lincolnshire · 23 collisions	148.4
At A607 Lincolnshire · 12 collisions	109.8
Bridge St to A38 Derby · 23 collisions	107.0
Saltersford Road to A607 Lincolnshire · 12 collisions	92.4
A1104 to Heath Rd Lincolnshire · 71 collisions	76.6
A1121 to A17 Lincolnshire · 45 collisions	61.2

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

A further 175 collisions were recorded at junctions where the A52 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 A52

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

Lincolnshire
Leicestershire
Nottinghamshire
Nottingham
Derbyshire
Derby
Staffordshire
Stoke-on-Trent

Planned closures on the A52 in England

National Highways has 13 planned closures on the A52 between 16 September 2026 and 30 September 2026, 9 of them starting in that period. 3 close a carriageway rather than a lane or slip road, and 7 start between 7pm and 6am.

Lane or slip Lane closure eastbound

18 Sept 20:00 to 19 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance Also affects A5111
Lane or slip Bus lane closure eastbound

19 Sept 08:00 to 21 Sept 18:00 Authority operation
Lane or slip Lane closure eastbound

19 Sept 20:00 to 20 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance Also affects A5111
Lane or slip Lane closure including Wheatcroft roundabout westbound

21 Sept 01:00 to 28 Sept 06:00 1 of 3 lanes Construction work
Lane or slip Lane closure (including roundabout) westbound

25 Sept 20:00 to 26 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance
Lane or slip Lane closure (including roundabout) eastbound

25 Sept 20:00 to 26 Sept 06:00 1 of 2 lanes Road maintenance
Lane or slip A52 westbound layby closure

26 Sept, 13:00 to 20:00 Road maintenance
Carriageway A52 westbound Jct 25 exit slip road closure

26 Sept 20:00 to 27 Sept 06:00 Road maintenance

5 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	78 count points in 2025	15 September 2026
Reported collisions	Road safety open data (STATS19) Department for Transport Derived statistics UK Motoring	2021 to 2025	1,148 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.

How busy is the A52?

Route

A52 traffic and collisions by section

A52 traffic by vehicle type

A52 traffic trend

A52 collisions

Council areas on the A52

Roads that meet the A52

Planned closures on the A52 in England

Data sources and methodology

Related statistics