A17 road
Encyclopedia
The A17 road is a road linking Newark-on-Trent
in Nottinghamshire
, England
, to King's Lynn
in Norfolk
. It stretches for a distance of 100 kilometres travelling across the flat Fen landscapes of southern Lincolnshire and western Norfolk.
, Wells-next-the-Sea
, Sheringham
, Cromer
and Great Yarmouth
and is one of only two direct routes that links Norfolk
with the A1, the other being the A47
. The A17 has very few stretches of dual-carriageway (four in total) with the longest being the Sleaford bypass which is 3 miles (4.8 km) long with the second longest at Beckingham which is just 1/2 mi long and the other two stretches are located at roundabouts in Long Sutton
and Sutton Bridge
both of which are under 1/4 mi long. It is one of two main routes for residents of East Anglia to get to the North of England (and vice versa) - the other is the A47
via Peterborough, which is a longer route but much more dual-carriageway.
and the north Norfolk coast. The main meeting points at roundabouts of the A52 and A16 routinely cause long queues. The section through South Holland
is heavily used by tractors.
where Queens Road met North Gate (former A46). It then followed Sleaford Road and Beacon Hill Road, meeting the A1 and passing through Coddington
as Beckingham Road then Sleaford Lane. On the former section in Newark, when the Beacon Hill Bridge over the East Coast Main Line
was replaced, the explosion to demolish the old bridge on 12 November 1961 put four construction workers in hospital.
at a busy roundabout next to the TOTAL
Winthorpe Service Station, with access to the A1. This section passes over the former RAF Winthorpe (now Newark Air Museum
and the Newark & Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society Showground), and there is a roundabout for Newlink Business Park and the national distribution centre of Dixons and Currys. It meets the former route from Coddington at the Coddington Moor roundabout. There is a right turn for Newark Golf Club and a right turn for Barnby in the Willows
. From College Plantation to Beckingham Bridge over the River Witham
, the road follows the boundary between Lincolnshire (to the north) and Nottinghamshire (to the south), slightly to the north. The road also enters North Kesteven
. It crosses the River Witham
as part of the dual-carriageway Beckingham
Bypass which was built in 1972 at a cost of £600,000, where there is a left turn for Beckingham Training Camp, and Carlton-le-Moorland
. It returns to its former route and passes through Brant Broughton and Stragglethorpe, and there is a a dangerous crossroads for Stragglethorpe
to the right and Brant Broughton
, to the left. This is one of the most accident-prone junctions in Lincolnshire. It passes across Leadenham Low Fields, with the Lincoln Cliff
seen in the distance.
Leadenham is built on the side of the Lincoln Cliff, and the road used to pass through, where it met the A607 at traffic lights. In March 1995 the £3.3 million bypass was opened and the route passes through Leadenham Park to the south of the village. It ascends the Lincoln Cliff as a three laned road (2+1 road
), and passes under the A607 where there is no junction. The Leadenham Bypass had been planned for over thirty years, and had started out as a dual carriageway which would have been the safest option (but more expensive) for the amount of traffic that the road carries. At the point where it crosses the former Grantham to Lincoln Line, it enters South Kesteven
, at Fulbeck
. There is an embankment as it ascends the rest of the Lincoln Cliff at Fulbeck Hilltop Plantation, and follows a former country lane the east of Fulbeck. It meets the former route (with access for Pottergate Road to Wellingore
, and the A607) and passes across Fulbeck Heath.
At Cranwell and Byard's Leap, it re-enters North Kesteven
at the line of the north-south Ermine Street
(now the Viking Way
). The road used to briefly follow Ermine Street southwards to Byard's Leap
with its cafe, and then eastwards to the current route at the B1429 junction. The road now passes slightly further to the north, with a right turn for the B6403
, and a left turn for the B1429 for RAF Cranwell
. In North Rauceby
, it passes along the southern edge of the airfield. There is a crossroads for Cranwell
, to the left, and North Rauceby, to the south. At Windmill plantation, the road has been straightened, entering the parish of Sleaford
. There is a service station and transport cafe on the left hand side.
It meets the north-south A15 at the Holdingham Roundabout, near the Jolly Scotchman (on the B1518 - the fomer route). There is the Sleaford Little Chef
, the Sleaford Travelodge
, and the TOTAL
Holdingham Service Station. On the former route to Sleaford there is a McDonalds and the Texaco
Holdingham Garage. Sleaford was bypassed by the A17 on 27 March 1975, when opened by Joseph Godber
. The section from the A15 to the A153 had earlier been opened on 14 November 1973. It is the only substantial section of dual-carriageway on the route, and the main opportunity to overtake caravans and lorries. There is the grade-separated
Bone Mill Junction with the A153, which shares the route from Holdingham, and the B1517 for Sleaford. It crosses the Peterborough to Lincoln Line
, then the River Slea
and the Spires and Steeples Trail. East of here to the road's eastern terminus, the landscape is flat. At Kirkby la Thorpe
it meets the former route from Sleaford, near the Queens Head. The former route has a 13ft 9in low (railway) Boston Road Bridge, another important reason for building the bypass. From here to Swineshead
, the road follows the railway from Sleaford to Boston. There is a left turn for Asgarby
, and a right turn for Burton Pedwardine
.
At Heckington
, the £2.5 million 2.8 miles (4.5 km) bypass was opened on 14 December 1982 by Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey. The former route is the B1394, and meets the A17 east of the village at the point where it is crossed by a 400kV pylon line. A mile east of Heckington it crosses the Car Dyke
. There is a left turn for the B1395, for South Kyme
, and the road forms the parish boundary between Heckington and Great Hale
until the district boundary. At East Heckington . On the right is the Abbey Parks farm shop next to the JET
(former BP
) De Rodes Service Station, then two hundred yards later there is the JET
(former BP
) Four Winds Service Station on the left. At the Holland Dike, it enters the borough of Boston
(the former Kesteven
/Holland
boundary).
At Swineshead Bridge there is a left turn for the A1121, for Boston
, and the road is crossed by the Poacher Line at a level crossing next to the Barge Inn and Swineshead railway station
. Swineshead
was bypassed in 1985, and the former route leaves at the High Bridge Junction. At Bicker
, it meets the A52
at the Bicker Bar Roundabout, next to the Texaco
Bicker Bar Service Station and Supreme Inns. The road meets its former route. At Bank House at Wigtoft
, there is a right turn for the B1181, for Bicker. Wigtoft itself is bypassed, to the south, by the £4.4 million 3 miles (4.8 km) Wigtoft-Sutterton Bypass, which opened in July 1995. At Sutterton
, on the bypass, it meets the B1397 Spalding Road at staggered crossroads, for Gosberton
, and Sutterton, which is the former A16 (Spalding to Boston). At Sutterton Roundabout, near Algarkirk
, it meets the A16, which is built on the former Lincolnshire Loop Line
, and there is the Texaco
Sutterton Star Service Station and Sutterton Little Chef
on the left hand side.
It passes Fosdyke
to the west, where it crosses the River Welland
at Fosdyke Bridge, entering the district of South Holland
a few hundred yards south of the bridge near the Ship Inn. This swing bridge was built in 1911, and the Macmillan Way crosses along the river. At Moulton
, there is a right turn for the B1357 for Moulton Seas End. At Whaplode
as Washway Road, it passes Saracen's Head. At this point the former road passed through Saracen's Head, Holbeach
and Fleet Hargate
. The bypass, New Washway Road from Saracen's Head to Laurel Lodge Farm, opened in 1989. It meets the A151
at a T-junction, and there is a roundabout for the B1168 (the former route through Holbeach). It passes the Holbeach Technology Park
and the George Farmer Technology and Language College. At Fleet
it passes farm shops and cafes on both sides of the road with vintage military equipment including a Hawker Hunter
, and meets the B1515, the former route from Holbeach, west of Fleet Hargate
. At Gedney
it meets the former route, with St Mary Magdalene Church, Gedney
seen to the south.
It meets the B1359 (for Gedney Drove End) at a roundabout. The Long Sutton-Sutton Bridge bypass was opened in 1989. It bypasses Long Sutton
, Little Sutton
and Sutton Bridge
. It meets the B1390, for Sutton St James
, at a roundabout. It meets the B1359 (for Long Sutton), and the A1101, for Wisbech
, at a roundabout, and the BP
Long Sutton Filling Station, the Long Sutton Little Chef
, and the Kings Lynn Long Sutton Travelodge
. There are two roundabouts where it changes direction abruptly and crosses the Cross Keys swing bridge over the River Nene
at Sutton Bridge
. To the south is the Sutton Bridge Power Station
.
The road follows an embankment close to the edge of The Wash
, and at Walpole Cross Keys
it enters Norfolk
and the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk
. The £3.14 million 6.8 miles (10.9 km) West of Kings Lynn - County Boundary section was opened on 14 December 1982 by Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey. In Terrington St Clement
, there is a crossroads at Balsam Field, for Tilney High End to the right, at which there is the African Violet Centre with a cafe. From this point all the way to the A47 junction, the road is the parish boundary between Clenchwarton
to the north, and Tilney All Saints
to the south. The former route passed through Terrington St Clement, Clenchwarton and West Lynn
. The improved follows the former Spalding
to South Lynn
, part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
(M&GN), which closed on 2 March 1959. Whilst the A17 has a chequered accident record, not a single passenger was killed on this former railway. It meets the A47 at the start of the King's Lynn
bypass at a roundabout.
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
in Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, to King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
. It stretches for a distance of 100 kilometres travelling across the flat Fen landscapes of southern Lincolnshire and western Norfolk.
Usage
The A17 is also a major holiday route in the summer months for cars and caravans making their way to the Norfolk resorts of HunstantonHunstanton
Hunstanton, often pronounced by locals as and known colloquially as 'Sunny Hunny', is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, facing The Wash....
, Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea, known locally simply as Wells, is a town, civil parish and seaport situated on the North Norfolk coast in England.The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 2,451 in 1,205 households...
, Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
, Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
and Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and is one of only two direct routes that links Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
with the A1, the other being the A47
A47 road
The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
. The A17 has very few stretches of dual-carriageway (four in total) with the longest being the Sleaford bypass which is 3 miles (4.8 km) long with the second longest at Beckingham which is just 1/2 mi long and the other two stretches are located at roundabouts in Long Sutton
Long Sutton, Lincolnshire
Long Sutton, is a market town in Lincolnshire, England. Located in South Holland district, it lies close to the Wash.-Geography:The town has an estimated population of 5,037 in 2007. It is 13 miles east from Spalding.-Lincolnshire Fens:...
and Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge is a village and civil parish in southeastern Lincolnshire, England on the west bank of the River Nene in the district of South Holland.-Geography:...
both of which are under 1/4 mi long. It is one of two main routes for residents of East Anglia to get to the North of England (and vice versa) - the other is the A47
A47 road
The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
via Peterborough, which is a longer route but much more dual-carriageway.
Hazards
The road carries more traffic than it was designed to carry. It also carries many goods vehicles that must travel at 40 miles per hour (17.9 m/s) as it is an (insufficiently designed) single carriageway. Impatient drivers take risks when gaps in the oncoming traffic allow. In the summer there are many caravans off to Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
and the north Norfolk coast. The main meeting points at roundabouts of the A52 and A16 routinely cause long queues. The section through South Holland
South Holland, Lincolnshire
South Holland is a local government district of Lincolnshire. The district council is based in Spalding.It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the Spalding urban district with East Elloe Rural District and Spalding Rural District...
is heavily used by tractors.
History
The western end of the road used to begin at the former A46 junction in Newark-on-TrentNewark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
where Queens Road met North Gate (former A46). It then followed Sleaford Road and Beacon Hill Road, meeting the A1 and passing through Coddington
Coddington, Nottinghamshire
Coddington is a village in Nottinghamshire, England. It is located 3 miles east of Newark on Trent. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 972.-Windmill:...
as Beckingham Road then Sleaford Lane. On the former section in Newark, when the Beacon Hill Bridge over the East Coast Main Line
East Coast Main Line
The East Coast Main Line is a long electrified high-speed railway link between London, Peterborough, Doncaster, Wakefield, Leeds, York, Darlington, Newcastle and Edinburgh...
was replaced, the explosion to demolish the old bridge on 12 November 1961 put four construction workers in hospital.
Route
The western end begins in Winthorpe, Nottinghamshire, on the eastern side of the Newark bypass, where it meets the A46A46 road
The A46 is an A road in England. It starts east of Bath, Somerset and ends in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, but it does not form a continuous route. Large portions of the old road have been lost, bypassed, or replaced by motorway development...
at a busy roundabout next to the TOTAL
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
Winthorpe Service Station, with access to the A1. This section passes over the former RAF Winthorpe (now Newark Air Museum
Newark Air Museum
right|thumb|200px|[[Handley Page Hastings]] T5 TG517 at the Newark Air Museum.Newark Air Museum is an air museum located on a former Royal Air Force station at Winthorpe, near Newark on Trent in Nottinghamshire, England. The museum contains a variety of aircraft...
and the Newark & Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society Showground), and there is a roundabout for Newlink Business Park and the national distribution centre of Dixons and Currys. It meets the former route from Coddington at the Coddington Moor roundabout. There is a right turn for Newark Golf Club and a right turn for Barnby in the Willows
Barnby in the Willows
Barnby in the Willows is a village and civil parish in the Newark and Sherwood district of Nottinghamshire, England, just east of Newark-on-Trent. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 244...
. From College Plantation to Beckingham Bridge over the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
, the road follows the boundary between Lincolnshire (to the north) and Nottinghamshire (to the south), slightly to the north. The road also enters North Kesteven
North Kesteven
North Kesteven is a local government district in the East Midlands. Just over north of London, it is east of Nottingham and south of Lincoln. North Kesteven is one of seven districts in Lincolnshire, England and is in the centre of the County...
. It crosses the River Witham
River Witham
The River Witham is a river, almost entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, in the east of England. It rises south of Grantham close to South Witham, at SK8818, passes Lincoln at SK9771 and at Boston, TF3244, flows into The Haven, a tidal arm of The Wash, near RSPB Frampton Marsh...
as part of the dual-carriageway Beckingham
Beckingham, Lincolnshire
Beckingham is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies 6 miles east of Newark-on-Trent on the A17 road, and on the east bank of the River Witham....
Bypass which was built in 1972 at a cost of £600,000, where there is a left turn for Beckingham Training Camp, and Carlton-le-Moorland
Carlton-le-Moorland
Carlton-le-Moorland, is a small village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies between Newark on Trent and Lincoln.The nearest adjacent villages are Norton Disney, Brant Broughton and Bassingham....
. It returns to its former route and passes through Brant Broughton and Stragglethorpe, and there is a a dangerous crossroads for Stragglethorpe
Stragglethorpe
Stragglethorpe is a village in the civil parish of Brant Broughton with Stragglethorpe, in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located about east of Newark-on-Trent. The population of the civil parish in 2001 was 639...
to the right and Brant Broughton
Brant Broughton
Brant Broughton is a small village in the Brant Broughton and Stragglethorpe civil parish, in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies north of the A17 and west of Leadenham, where the A17 crosses the A607 road...
, to the left. This is one of the most accident-prone junctions in Lincolnshire. It passes across Leadenham Low Fields, with the Lincoln Cliff
Lincoln Cliff
The Lincoln Cliff is the portion of a major escarpment that runs north-south through Lindsey and Kesteven, in central Lincolnshire and is a prominent landscape feature in a generally flat portion of the county...
seen in the distance.
Leadenham is built on the side of the Lincoln Cliff, and the road used to pass through, where it met the A607 at traffic lights. In March 1995 the £3.3 million bypass was opened and the route passes through Leadenham Park to the south of the village. It ascends the Lincoln Cliff as a three laned road (2+1 road
2+1 road
2+1 road is a specific category of three-lane road, consisting of two lanes in one direction and one lane in the other, alternating every few kilometres, and separated usually with a steel cable barrier. Traditional roads of at least width can be converted to 2+1 roads and reach near-motorway...
), and passes under the A607 where there is no junction. The Leadenham Bypass had been planned for over thirty years, and had started out as a dual carriageway which would have been the safest option (but more expensive) for the amount of traffic that the road carries. At the point where it crosses the former Grantham to Lincoln Line, it enters South Kesteven
South Kesteven
South Kesteven is a local government district in Lincolnshire, England, forming part of the traditional Kesteven division of the county. It covers Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping.-History:...
, at Fulbeck
Fulbeck
Fulbeck is a small village and civil parish in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the A607, north from Grantham and north-west from Sleaford. To the north is Leadenham, and to the south is Caythorpe.-Toponymy:...
. There is an embankment as it ascends the rest of the Lincoln Cliff at Fulbeck Hilltop Plantation, and follows a former country lane the east of Fulbeck. It meets the former route (with access for Pottergate Road to Wellingore
Wellingore
Wellingore is a small rural village in Lincolnshire, approximately south of Lincoln, England on the A607 in the district of North Kesteven. It is just south of Navenby.-History:...
, and the A607) and passes across Fulbeck Heath.
At Cranwell and Byard's Leap, it re-enters North Kesteven
North Kesteven
North Kesteven is a local government district in the East Midlands. Just over north of London, it is east of Nottingham and south of Lincoln. North Kesteven is one of seven districts in Lincolnshire, England and is in the centre of the County...
at the line of the north-south Ermine Street
Ermine Street
Ermine Street is the name of a major Roman road in England that ran from London to Lincoln and York . The Old English name was 'Earninga Straete' , named after a tribe called the Earningas, who inhabited a district later known as Armingford Hundred, around Arrington, Cambridgeshire and Royston,...
(now the Viking Way
Viking Way
The Viking Way is a long distance footpath in England running between the Humber Bridge in North Lincolnshire and Oakham in Rutland. The Countryside Commission recognised the significance of the Viking Way as a high quality long distance walk linking other major routes in Eastern England, these...
). The road used to briefly follow Ermine Street southwards to Byard's Leap
Byards Leap
Byard's Leap is a hamlet in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England, and lies 3 miles west of Cranwell. It is part of the civil parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap. The hamlet is associated with various legends....
with its cafe, and then eastwards to the current route at the B1429 junction. The road now passes slightly further to the north, with a right turn for the B6403
High Dyke, Lincolnshire
High Dyke is a minor road following a length of Roman Road in the English county of Lincolnshire, between Woolsthorpe-by-Colsterworth and Ancaster. It is also the name of a small settlement on that road, near to Great Ponton, near to the mouth of Stoke Tunnel on the Great Northern main line...
, and a left turn for the B1429 for RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
. In North Rauceby
North Rauceby
North Rauceby is a small village of around 150 residents situated 4 miles north-west of Sleaford in Lincolnshire.The village is home to Rauceby Primary School which serves this village and the village of South Rauceby although many children travel from the surrounding area to attend this school as...
, it passes along the southern edge of the airfield. There is a crossroads for Cranwell
Cranwell
Cranwell is a village situated in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire. It is part of the Civil Parish of Cranwell and Byard's Leap and is located 3.95 miles north-north-west of Sleaford and 16.3 miles south-east of the county town of Lincoln...
, to the left, and North Rauceby, to the south. At Windmill plantation, the road has been straightened, entering the parish of Sleaford
Sleaford
Sleaford is a town in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is located thirteen miles northeast of Grantham, seventeen miles west of Boston, and nineteen miles south of Lincoln, and had a total resident population of around 14,500 in 6,167 households at the time...
. There is a service station and transport cafe on the left hand side.
It meets the north-south A15 at the Holdingham Roundabout, near the Jolly Scotchman (on the B1518 - the fomer route). There is the Sleaford Little Chef
Little Chef
Little Chef is a chain of roadside restaurants in the United Kingdom, founded in 1958 and owned by the UK private equity group RCapital. Little Chef's previous owners were The People's Restaurant Group Ltd., a company belonging to British catering entrepreneurs Simon Heath and Lawrence Wosskow,...
, the Sleaford Travelodge
Travelodge UK
Travelodge Hotels Limited is a private company operating in the hotels and hospitality industry throughout the United Kingdom. Branded simply as Travelodge or Travelodge UK, it is the second largest in the budget hotel sector and third biggest hotel chain in the UK by number of bedrooms...
, and the TOTAL
Total S.A.
Total S.A. is a French multinational oil company and one of the six "Supermajor" oil companies in the world.Its businesses cover the entire oil and gas chain, from crude oil and natural gas exploration and production to power generation, transportation, refining, petroleum product marketing, and...
Holdingham Service Station. On the former route to Sleaford there is a McDonalds and the Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
Holdingham Garage. Sleaford was bypassed by the A17 on 27 March 1975, when opened by Joseph Godber
Joseph Godber
Joseph Bradshaw Godber, Baron Godber of Willington PC was a British Conservative Party politician and cabinet minister.-Background:...
. The section from the A15 to the A153 had earlier been opened on 14 November 1973. It is the only substantial section of dual-carriageway on the route, and the main opportunity to overtake caravans and lorries. There is the grade-separated
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
Bone Mill Junction with the A153, which shares the route from Holdingham, and the B1517 for Sleaford. It crosses the Peterborough to Lincoln Line
Peterborough to Lincoln Line
The Peterborough to Lincoln Line is a railway line linking and , via and .-History:The section between Peterborough and Spalding closed to passengers on 5 October 1970 and re-opened on 7 June 1971. North of Spalding, Ruskington re-opened on 5 May 1975. Metheringham followed on 6 October...
, then the River Slea
River Slea
The River Slea is an 18-mile long tributary of the River Witham, in Lincolnshire, England. In 1872 the river was described as "a never-ending source of pure water", and was a trout river renowned throughout the East coast of England...
and the Spires and Steeples Trail. East of here to the road's eastern terminus, the landscape is flat. At Kirkby la Thorpe
Kirkby la Thorpe
Kirkby la Thorpe is a village in North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England.There are about 45 people who live in the village. It has a Church of England primary school. The church is dedicated to . The village pub is the Queens Head Inn on Boston Road...
it meets the former route from Sleaford, near the Queens Head. The former route has a 13ft 9in low (railway) Boston Road Bridge, another important reason for building the bypass. From here to Swineshead
Swineshead, Lincolnshire
Not to be confused with Swineshead, BedfordshireSwineshead is a village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England, around miles west of the town of Boston...
, the road follows the railway from Sleaford to Boston. There is a left turn for Asgarby
Asgarby, Sleaford
Asgarby is a hamlet in the civil parish of Asgarby and Howell, in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the A17 Boston to Newark road, east of Sleaford and 2 miles west of Heckington....
, and a right turn for Burton Pedwardine
Burton Pedwardine
Burton Pedwardine is a hamlet and civil parish in the district of North Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England. It lies four and a half miles south-east of the market town of Sleaford and south-west of the village of Heckington....
.
At Heckington
Heckington
Heckington is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies between Sleaford and Swineshead Bridge, south of the A17 road. Heckington, with 1491 households, is one of the largest villages in Lincolnshire.-History:...
, the £2.5 million 2.8 miles (4.5 km) bypass was opened on 14 December 1982 by Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey. The former route is the B1394, and meets the A17 east of the village at the point where it is crossed by a 400kV pylon line. A mile east of Heckington it crosses the Car Dyke
Car Dyke
The Car Dyke was, and to large extent still is, an eighty-five mile long ditch which runs along the western edge of the Fens in eastern England. It is generally accepted as being of Roman age and, for many centuries, to have been taken as marking the western edge of the Fens...
. There is a left turn for the B1395, for South Kyme
South Kyme
South Kyme is a small village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England; it is located south east of North Kyme which is itself from Billinghay....
, and the road forms the parish boundary between Heckington and Great Hale
Great Hale
Great Hale is a village and civil parish in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on the B1394 road, immediately south of Heckington and north of Helpringham.-History:...
until the district boundary. At East Heckington . On the right is the Abbey Parks farm shop next to the JET
Jet (brand)
Jet is the filling station brand of ConocoPhillips, used in Europe.Jet filling stations are located in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom....
(former BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
) De Rodes Service Station, then two hundred yards later there is the JET
Jet (brand)
Jet is the filling station brand of ConocoPhillips, used in Europe.Jet filling stations are located in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Thailand and the United Kingdom....
(former BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
) Four Winds Service Station on the left. At the Holland Dike, it enters the borough of Boston
Boston (borough)
Boston is a local government district with borough status in Lincolnshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Boston. It lies around N53°0'0" W0°0'0"....
(the former Kesteven
Kesteven
The Parts of Kesteven are a traditional subdivision of Lincolnshire, England. This subdivision had long had a separate county administration , along with the other two parts, Lindsey and Holland.-Etymology:...
/Holland
Holland, Lincolnshire
Holland is an area of south-east Lincolnshire, England. The name is still recognised locally and survives in the district of South Holland.-Administration:...
boundary).
At Swineshead Bridge there is a left turn for the A1121, for Boston
Boston, Lincolnshire
Boston is a town and small port in Lincolnshire, on the east coast of England. It is the largest town of the wider Borough of Boston local government district and had a total population of 55,750 at the 2001 census...
, and the road is crossed by the Poacher Line at a level crossing next to the Barge Inn and Swineshead railway station
Swineshead railway station
Swineshead railway station serves the village of Swineshead in Lincolnshire, England. Although named Swineshead, the station is, in reality, located in the hamlet of Swineshead Bridge some miles north of Swineshead.-Services:...
. Swineshead
Swineshead, Lincolnshire
Not to be confused with Swineshead, BedfordshireSwineshead is a village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England, around miles west of the town of Boston...
was bypassed in 1985, and the former route leaves at the High Bridge Junction. At Bicker
Bicker, Lincolnshire
Bicker is a village in Lincolnshire, England. It is around west-south-west of Boston, on the A52.-Geography:It is one of 18 parishes which, together with Boston, form the Borough of Boston in the county of Lincolnshire, England. The local government has been arranged in this way since the...
, it meets the A52
A52 road
The A52 is a major road in the East Midlands, England. It runs east from the junction with the A53 at Newcastle-under-Lyme near Stoke-on-Trent via Ashbourne, Derby, Stapleford, Nottingham, West Bridgford, Bingham, Grantham, Boston and Skegness before terminating on the east Lincolnshire coast at...
at the Bicker Bar Roundabout, next to the Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
Bicker Bar Service Station and Supreme Inns. The road meets its former route. At Bank House at Wigtoft
Wigtoft
Wigtoft is a village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England, around south-west of Boston, Lincolnshire. It is on the A17 road, and near to Sutterton and Hoffleet Stow. Included in Wigtoft civil parish is the hamlet of Burtoft....
, there is a right turn for the B1181, for Bicker. Wigtoft itself is bypassed, to the south, by the £4.4 million 3 miles (4.8 km) Wigtoft-Sutterton Bypass, which opened in July 1995. At Sutterton
Sutterton
Sutterton is a village and rural parish in Lincolnshire. It won a Best Kept Village award in 2005.Sutterton lies approximately seven miles south-south-west of Boston, near the junction of the A16 and A17, and on the B1397 . To the north is Kirton...
, on the bypass, it meets the B1397 Spalding Road at staggered crossroads, for Gosberton
Gosberton
Gosberton is a village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies south-west from Boston, north from Spalding and north-west from Holbeach. The parish includes the hamlets of Gosberton Clough and Gosberton Risegate...
, and Sutterton, which is the former A16 (Spalding to Boston). At Sutterton Roundabout, near Algarkirk
Algarkirk
Algarkirk is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Boston in Lincolnshire, England, south-south-west of Boston near the A16. Some people spell the village Algakirk. It has a population of 406.-History:...
, it meets the A16, which is built on the former Lincolnshire Loop Line
Lincolnshire Loop Line
The Lincolnshire Loop Line was a Great Northern Railway built double track railway line that linked Peterborough to Lincoln via Spalding and Boston.-History:...
, and there is the Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
Sutterton Star Service Station and Sutterton Little Chef
Little Chef
Little Chef is a chain of roadside restaurants in the United Kingdom, founded in 1958 and owned by the UK private equity group RCapital. Little Chef's previous owners were The People's Restaurant Group Ltd., a company belonging to British catering entrepreneurs Simon Heath and Lawrence Wosskow,...
on the left hand side.
It passes Fosdyke
Fosdyke
Fosdyke is a village and civil parish in Lincolnshire, England. It lies about south of Boston just off the A17, and east from the junction of the A17 with the A16. The village is near the mouth of the River Welland, and the parish extends across the river to include both ends of the hamlet of...
to the west, where it crosses the River Welland
River Welland
The River Welland is a river in the east of England, some long. It rises in the Hothorpe Hills, at Sibbertoft in Northamptonshire, then flows generally northeast to Market Harborough, Stamford and Spalding, to reach The Wash near Fosdyke. For much of its length it forms the county boundary between...
at Fosdyke Bridge, entering the district of South Holland
South Holland, Lincolnshire
South Holland is a local government district of Lincolnshire. The district council is based in Spalding.It was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of the Spalding urban district with East Elloe Rural District and Spalding Rural District...
a few hundred yards south of the bridge near the Ship Inn. This swing bridge was built in 1911, and the Macmillan Way crosses along the river. At Moulton
Moulton, Lincolnshire
Moulton is the primary village of an extensive Fenland parish, over in length, and encompassing the smaller hamlets/villages of Moulton Chapel, Moulton Seas End and Moulton Eaugate....
, there is a right turn for the B1357 for Moulton Seas End. At Whaplode
Whaplode
Whaplode is a parish in South Holland District, Lincolnshire, England, just west of the Prime Meridian.-Geography:In old documents, it is sometimes called Whapload. The main village lies on the marine silt ridge, known as the Townlands, which rises between the former salt marsh and the former fen...
as Washway Road, it passes Saracen's Head. At this point the former road passed through Saracen's Head, Holbeach
Holbeach
Holbeach is a fenland market town with in the South Holland district of southern Lincolnshire, England. The town lies from Spalding; from Boston; from King's Lynn; from Peterborough; and a by road from the county town of Lincoln. It is on the junction of the A151 and A17...
and Fleet Hargate
Fleet Hargate
Fleet Hargate is a village in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies east of Holbeach, just south of the A17. It falls within the wider civil parish of Fleet which stretches from Gedney to Holbeach with a total estimated population of 2,286.The village has been designated a...
. The bypass, New Washway Road from Saracen's Head to Laurel Lodge Farm, opened in 1989. It meets the A151
A151 road
The A151 road is relatively minor part of the British road system. It lies entirely in the county of Lincolnshire, England. Its western end lies at coordinates otherwise, 1...
at a T-junction, and there is a roundabout for the B1168 (the former route through Holbeach). It passes the Holbeach Technology Park
Holbeach Technology Park
Holbeach Technology Park is the food science campus of the University of Lincoln, situated on Park Road at Holbeach in the south of the county of Lincolnshire. It is a part of the University's Riseholme College.-History:...
and the George Farmer Technology and Language College. At Fleet
Fleet, Lincolnshire
Fleet is a village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies on Delph Bank, south-east from Holbeach.Fleet Grade I listed Anglican church, dating from the late 12th century, is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene. The 120 foot high church tower with spire is...
it passes farm shops and cafes on both sides of the road with vintage military equipment including a Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
, and meets the B1515, the former route from Holbeach, west of Fleet Hargate
Fleet Hargate
Fleet Hargate is a village in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies east of Holbeach, just south of the A17. It falls within the wider civil parish of Fleet which stretches from Gedney to Holbeach with a total estimated population of 2,286.The village has been designated a...
. At Gedney
Gedney, Lincolnshire
Gedney is a village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies just to the south off the A17 Boston to King's Lynn road, east from Holbeach and north-east from Long Sutton...
it meets the former route, with St Mary Magdalene Church, Gedney
St Mary Magdalene Church, Gedney
St Mary Magdalene Church is a church of medieval origin in Gedney, Lincolnshire. Renowened for its large size in the surrounding low-lying landscape, it is commonly known as the Cathedral of the Fens...
seen to the south.
It meets the B1359 (for Gedney Drove End) at a roundabout. The Long Sutton-Sutton Bridge bypass was opened in 1989. It bypasses Long Sutton
Long Sutton, Lincolnshire
Long Sutton, is a market town in Lincolnshire, England. Located in South Holland district, it lies close to the Wash.-Geography:The town has an estimated population of 5,037 in 2007. It is 13 miles east from Spalding.-Lincolnshire Fens:...
, Little Sutton
Little Sutton, Lincolnshire
Little Sutton is a small civil parish, containing a few farms, situated between the much larger parishes of Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge.-Geography:...
and Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge is a village and civil parish in southeastern Lincolnshire, England on the west bank of the River Nene in the district of South Holland.-Geography:...
. It meets the B1390, for Sutton St James
Sutton St James
Sutton St James is a village and civil parish in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, England, about south west of Long Sutton.Lying in the Lincolnshire Fens, Sutton St James did not exist at the time of Domesday Book of 1086...
, at a roundabout. It meets the B1359 (for Long Sutton), and the A1101, for Wisbech
Wisbech
Wisbech is a market town, inland port and civil parish with a population of 20,200 in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The tidal River Nene runs through the centre of the town and is spanned by two bridges...
, at a roundabout, and the BP
BP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
Long Sutton Filling Station, the Long Sutton Little Chef
Little Chef
Little Chef is a chain of roadside restaurants in the United Kingdom, founded in 1958 and owned by the UK private equity group RCapital. Little Chef's previous owners were The People's Restaurant Group Ltd., a company belonging to British catering entrepreneurs Simon Heath and Lawrence Wosskow,...
, and the Kings Lynn Long Sutton Travelodge
Travelodge UK
Travelodge Hotels Limited is a private company operating in the hotels and hospitality industry throughout the United Kingdom. Branded simply as Travelodge or Travelodge UK, it is the second largest in the budget hotel sector and third biggest hotel chain in the UK by number of bedrooms...
. There are two roundabouts where it changes direction abruptly and crosses the Cross Keys swing bridge over the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
at Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge is a village and civil parish in southeastern Lincolnshire, England on the west bank of the River Nene in the district of South Holland.-Geography:...
. To the south is the Sutton Bridge Power Station
Sutton Bridge Power Station
Sutton Bridge Power Station is a 790 MW gas-fired power station in Sutton Bridge in the south-east of Lincolnshire in South Holland, England. It is on Centenary Way to the River Nene.-History:...
.
The road follows an embankment close to the edge of The Wash
The Wash
The Wash is the square-mouthed bay and estuary on the northwest margin of East Anglia on the east coast of England, where Norfolk meets Lincolnshire. It is among the largest estuaries in the United Kingdom...
, and at Walpole Cross Keys
Walpole Cross Keys
Walpole Cross Keys is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 469 in 182 households as of the 2001 census....
it enters Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district and borough in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn.-History:...
. The £3.14 million 6.8 miles (10.9 km) West of Kings Lynn - County Boundary section was opened on 14 December 1982 by Lynda Chalker, Baroness Chalker of Wallasey. In Terrington St Clement
Terrington St Clement
Terrington St Clement is a large village in Norfolk, in the UK. It is situated in the drained marshlands to the south of The Wash, 7 miles west of King's Lynn, Norfolk, and 5 miles east of Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire, on the old route of the A47 trunk road. The parish covers an area of...
, there is a crossroads at Balsam Field, for Tilney High End to the right, at which there is the African Violet Centre with a cafe. From this point all the way to the A47 junction, the road is the parish boundary between Clenchwarton
Clenchwarton
Clenchwarton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located on the west side of the River Great Ouse, about 2 km from the river and from the town of King's Lynn on the east side of the river....
to the north, and Tilney All Saints
Tilney All Saints
Tilney All Saints is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 563 in 230 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk....
to the south. The former route passed through Terrington St Clement, Clenchwarton and West Lynn
West Lynn, Norfolk
West Lynn is the part of the town of King's Lynn that is west of the River Great Ouse. It is linked to the main part of King's Lynn by a direct passenger ferry or by a circuitous 4 km road journey....
. The improved follows the former Spalding
Spalding railway station
Spalding railway station serves the town of Spalding in Lincolnshire, England.Spalding is on the branch line to Lincoln operated by a roughly hourly service in both directions usually by Class 153 single car units...
to South Lynn
South Lynn railway station
South Lynn railway station was a station located in King's Lynn, Norfolk, on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway.-History:The Lynn & Sutton Bridge Railway was authorised on 6 August 1861, to build a line between those points. It was opened between and in November 1864; passenger trains...
, part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
(M&GN), which closed on 2 March 1959. Whilst the A17 has a chequered accident record, not a single passenger was killed on this former railway. It meets the A47 at the start of the King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
bypass at a roundabout.