The section from Lichfield to Alrewas was dualled in 1958. The £500,000 (£ in ), section from Alrewas to Wychnor Farm near Wychnor Hall, and the £150,000 (£ in ),section from Wychnor Farm to Barton Turn both opened in 1962. The further section of the route was improved to dual carriageway standard, including the £350,000 section from Barton Turn (near Barton-under-Needwood) to Branston in February 1964, bypassing Burton upon Trent in June 1967 (costing £2.6M (£ in ),), which stretched from Branston to Clay Mills and actually shortened the route – now the A5121 - by ), and in recent years many of the at-grade junctions have been upgraded or stopped-up.