A419 road
Encyclopedia
The A419 road is a primary route between Chiseldon
near Swindon
at junction 15 of the M4
with the A346 road, and Whitminster
in Gloucestershire
, England
.
From the M4 to Cirencester it is a dual carriageway
road, which generally follows the course of the Roman road Ermin Street
, but dualling work completed in the late 1990s, and the bypass of Cirencester, has taken it off-course in some places. The road goes through Cirencester
and Stroud
then finishes at a roundabout with the A38
close to junction 13 with the M5
, close to a Little Chef
(useful for M5 drivers as well).
The 3 miles (4.8 km) £4m Stratton St. Margaret (Swindon) Bypass opened in October 1977. The 2 miles (3.2 km) £2.4m Blunsdon-Cricklade
Improvement opened in June 1988. The 4 miles (6.4 km) Latton Bypass opened on December 24, 1997. At the start of the Cirencester bypass, the dual carriageway continues as the A417
, and the A419 goes from here into the centre of Cirencester.
The A419 is unusual in that it is managed and maintained by a private company, Road Management Group, on behalf of the UK Department for Transport
.
Parts of the newly dualled sections road are surfaced in concrete
, which is relatively unusual in the UK. The high tyre
noise generated by this surface is unpopular with nearby residents.
The major bottleneck in Swindon at Blunsdon
traffic lights and the nearby Turnpike roundabout
, where local traffic mixes with through traffic for the M4 and the Cotswolds
has recently been addressed. Construction of a bypass at Blunsdon
commenced on 13 September 2006, and was fully completed in February 2009, although the new dual two-lane carriageway (with an additional crawler lane going southbound up Blunsdon hill) was fully open by January 2009. A flyover
at Commonhead, the main junction for southeast Swindon and another notorious source of congestion, was opened to traffic on 6 February 2007.
, Berkshire
, to Gloucester. Before the war, the section from Cirencester to Gloucester was renumbered the A417, and the A419 was extended from Cirencester to Stroud and then on part of the route of the former A434 through Stonehouse
to a junction with the A38 at Hardwicke
, just south of Gloucester.
Following the opening of the M4 motorway
, the section from Hungerford to Commonhead was downclassified to the B4192. The old lay-bys remain, showing that this was once a major route south. The road was extended south from Commonhead for 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to the M4 on the route of the old A345
.
When the M5 motorway
was opened, the road was rerouted west of Stroud. A new alignment, known as the Ebley by-pass, was built south of the old route from Cainscross
to a point just south of Stonehouse, and from there the road was rerouted on the former line of the A4096 to Eastington
, and then to the M5 and the A38 at Whitminster. The old route became the B4008.
pages:
Chiseldon
Chiseldon is a village in the borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England.The village lies on the edge of the Marlborough Downs, a mile south of junction 15 of the M4 motorway, on the A346 between Swindon and Marlborough...
near Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
at junction 15 of the M4
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
with the A346 road, and Whitminster
Whitminster
Whitminster is a village in Gloucestershire, on the A38 trunk road about six miles south of Gloucester. It was formerly known as Wheatenhurst, the name being changed officially in 1945...
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, 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...
.
From the M4 to Cirencester it is a dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
road, which generally follows the course of the Roman road Ermin Street
Ermin Street
Ermin Street or Ermin Way is one of the great Roman roads of Britain. It runs from Gloucester via Cirencester to Silchester . Much of it is now covered by the modern A417, A419 and B4000 roads....
, but dualling work completed in the late 1990s, and the bypass of Cirencester, has taken it off-course in some places. The road goes through Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
and Stroud
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Stroud is a market town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District.Situated below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at the meeting point of the Five Valleys, the town is noted for its steep streets and cafe culture...
then finishes at a roundabout with the A38
A38 road
The A38, part of which is also known as the Devon Expressway, is a major A-class trunk road in England.The road runs from Bodmin in Cornwall to Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. It is long, making it one of the longest A-roads in England. It was formerly known as the Leeds — Exeter Trunk Road,...
close to junction 13 with the M5
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
, close to a 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,...
(useful for M5 drivers as well).
The 3 miles (4.8 km) £4m Stratton St. Margaret (Swindon) Bypass opened in October 1977. The 2 miles (3.2 km) £2.4m Blunsdon-Cricklade
Cricklade
Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire in England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester.On 25 September 2011 Cricklade was awarded The Royal Horticultural Society's 'Champion of Champions' award in the Britain in Bloom competition.Cricklade is twinned with...
Improvement opened in June 1988. The 4 miles (6.4 km) Latton Bypass opened on December 24, 1997. At the start of the Cirencester bypass, the dual carriageway continues as the A417
A417 road
-Streatley - Gloucester :It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place -Streatley - Gloucester (M5):It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage,...
, and the A419 goes from here into the centre of Cirencester.
The A419 is unusual in that it is managed and maintained by a private company, Road Management Group, on behalf of the UK Department for Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
.
Parts of the newly dualled sections road are surfaced in concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
, which is relatively unusual in the UK. The high tyre
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
noise generated by this surface is unpopular with nearby residents.
The major bottleneck in Swindon at Blunsdon
Blunsdon
Broad Blunsdon is a village in the Borough of Swindon, England, about north of Swindon itself.Together with the nearby villages of Blunsdon St Andrew and adjoining Lower Blunsdon, the settlement is usually known simply as Blunsdon...
traffic lights and the nearby Turnpike roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
, where local traffic mixes with through traffic for the M4 and the Cotswolds
Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are a range of hills in west-central England, sometimes called the Heart of England, an area across and long. The area has been designated as the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty...
has recently been addressed. Construction of a bypass at Blunsdon
Blunsdon
Broad Blunsdon is a village in the Borough of Swindon, England, about north of Swindon itself.Together with the nearby villages of Blunsdon St Andrew and adjoining Lower Blunsdon, the settlement is usually known simply as Blunsdon...
commenced on 13 September 2006, and was fully completed in February 2009, although the new dual two-lane carriageway (with an additional crawler lane going southbound up Blunsdon hill) was fully open by January 2009. A flyover
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
at Commonhead, the main junction for southeast Swindon and another notorious source of congestion, was opened to traffic on 6 February 2007.
History
When it was first designated in 1922, the A419 ran from HungerfordHungerford
Hungerford is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire, England, 9 miles west of Newbury. It covers an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 5,559 .- Geography :...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, to Gloucester. Before the war, the section from Cirencester to Gloucester was renumbered the A417, and the A419 was extended from Cirencester to Stroud and then on part of the route of the former A434 through Stonehouse
Stonehouse, Gloucestershire
Stonehouse, Gloucestershire is an urban area within the Stroud District, in the UK. It is home to a number of factories, such as Dairy Crest and Schlumberger. The town is close to the M5 motorway. Stonehouse railway station has a regular train service to London...
to a junction with the A38 at Hardwicke
Hardwicke (Stroud), Gloucestershire
Hardwicke is a village south of Gloucester, Gloucestershire, England. Despite its close proximity to Gloucester, the village actually comes under Stroud Council....
, just south of Gloucester.
Following the opening of the M4 motorway
M4 motorway
The M4 motorway links London with South Wales. It is part of the unsigned European route E30. Other major places directly accessible from M4 junctions are Reading, Swindon, Bristol, Newport, Cardiff and Swansea...
, the section from Hungerford to Commonhead was downclassified to the B4192. The old lay-bys remain, showing that this was once a major route south. The road was extended south from Commonhead for 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to the M4 on the route of the old A345
A345 road
The A345 is a secondary A road in Wiltshire, England running from Salisbury to Marlborough ending at a roundabout leading to the High Street and the A4....
.
When the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
was opened, the road was rerouted west of Stroud. A new alignment, known as the Ebley by-pass, was built south of the old route from Cainscross
Cainscross
Cainscross is a village in Gloucestershire, England, on the outskirts of Stroud.It is well served with local amenities, including a Post Office and a large supermarket. It is well connected to Stroud , Cheltenham and Gloucester with frequent bus services...
to a point just south of Stonehouse, and from there the road was rerouted on the former line of the A4096 to Eastington
Eastington, Stroud
Eastington is a village and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. It lies 4 miles west of Stroud and 9 miles south of Gloucester at the entrance to the Stroud Valley....
, and then to the M5 and the A38 at Whitminster. The old route became the B4008.
External links
Highways AgencyHighways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
pages: