A420 road
Encyclopedia
The A420 is a road between Bristol
and Oxford
in England
. Between Swindon
and Oxford it is a primary route.
motorway, the road is in two sections. The first section begins on Old Market Street
near the centre of Bristol
, it passes through Kingswood
before leaving the city on the east side. From here it travels eastward over the southern part of the Cotswolds
, to the north of Bath, to Chippenham
in Wiltshire
.
The second section starts at a junction with the A419
east of Swindon. It then travels under the Great Western Main Line
at the twin-arch Acorn Bridge and by-passes Shrivenham
(the road originally went through Shrivenham
, but the by-pass was built in the mid-1980s) and Watchfield
, then on towards Faringdon
in the Vale of White Horse
. A new section by-passes Faringdon, just south of Folly Hill and crosses the A417
.
The A420 then travels the corallian limestone
ridge that forms the north-west boundary of the Vale of White Horse, passing Littleworth, Buckland
and Longworth
. A dual-carriageway section by-passes Southmoor
and Kingston Bagpuize
on its way to Oxford
.
A further dual-carriageway section bypasses Cumnor Hill
, to give a view of the "City of Dreaming Spires" that is Oxford from the west. It then passes the Oxford Ring Road
, through the suburb of Botley
and down the Botley Road
. It crosses the River Thames
on Osney Bridge
and reaches central Oxford. Within Oxford, it is routed along Oxpens Road
, then Thames Street, parts of St Aldate's then the High Street
, which is closed to most motor traffic. The road then crosses Magdalen Bridge to St Clements
and East Oxford and ascends the notoriously steep Headington Hill
to the suburb of Headington
before terminating at the Green Road roundabout, where it meets the A40
and the Oxford Ring Road.
Large vehicles such as lorries are advised by large signs at Oxford
and Swindon
not to take this route and use the alternative A34, from Junction 13 of the M4.
As a result of the building of the M4 motorway and subsequent road modernisation, the A420 between Chippenham and Swindon lost its identity. From Chippenham to Lyneham
through Sutton Benger
and to the north of RAF Lyneham
and its limestone ridge, it became the B4069. From Lyneham to Swindon it became part of the A3102. From Swindon through Stratton St Margaret
to the A419 it became the A4312.
in Oxfordshire was the site of the crime of the fastest driver ever caught in a routine speed check in the UK. On 27 January 2007 Timothy Brady, a 33 year-old man from Harrow, London
, was clocked driving at 172 miles per hour (276.8 km/h) in a Porsche 911 Turbo that he had taken without permission from his employer, a luxury car hire firm. Brady was disqualified from driving and sentenced to 10 weeks in prison.
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
in 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...
. Between 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...
and Oxford it is a primary route.
Present route
Since the opening of the M4M4 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...
motorway, the road is in two sections. The first section begins on Old Market Street
Old Market, Bristol
Old Market is a Conservation Area of national significance, to the east of the city centre in Bristol, England. Old Market Street and West Street form the central axis of the area, which is approximately bounded by New Street and Lawfords Gate to the north, Trinity Road and Trinity Street to the...
near the centre of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, it passes through Kingswood
Kingswood, South Gloucestershire
Kingswood is an urban area in South Gloucestershire, England, bordering the City of Bristol to the west. It is located on both sides of the A420 road, which connects Bristol and Chippenham and which forms the high street through the principal retail zone...
before leaving the city on the east side. From here it travels eastward over the southern part of 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...
, to the north of Bath, to Chippenham
Chippenham, Wiltshire
Chippenham is a market town in Wiltshire, England, located east of Bath and west of London. In the 2001 census the population of the town was recorded as 28,065....
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
The second section starts at a junction with the A419
A419 road
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....
east of Swindon. It then travels under the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
at the twin-arch Acorn Bridge and by-passes Shrivenham
Shrivenham
Shrivenham is a large village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, close to the boundary with Wiltshire. It is in the Vale of White Horse, between Swindon and Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character:Shrivenham features many...
(the road originally went through Shrivenham
Shrivenham
Shrivenham is a large village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, close to the boundary with Wiltshire. It is in the Vale of White Horse, between Swindon and Faringdon. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character:Shrivenham features many...
, but the by-pass was built in the mid-1980s) and Watchfield
Watchfield
Watchfield is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse, about southeast of Highworth in neighbouring Wiltshire. Watchfield is about north of the village of Shrivenham. Both villages used to be on the main road between Oxford and Swindon, which is now the A420 road...
, then on towards Faringdon
Faringdon
Faringdon is a market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England. It is on the edge of the Thames Valley, between the River Thames and the Ridgeway...
in the Vale of White Horse
Vale of White Horse
The Vale of White Horse is a local government district of Oxfordshire in England. The main town is Abingdon, other places include Faringdon and Wantage. There are 68 parishes within the district...
. A new section by-passes Faringdon, just south of Folly Hill and crosses 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,...
.
The A420 then travels the corallian limestone
Corallian Limestone
Corallian Limestone is a coralliferous sedimentary rock, laid down in Jurassic times. It is a hard variety of "coral rag". Building stones from this geological structure tend to be irregular in shape. It is often found close to seams of Portland Limestone...
ridge that forms the north-west boundary of the Vale of White Horse, passing Littleworth, Buckland
Buckland, Oxfordshire
Buckland is a village and civil parish about northeast of Faringdon in the Vale of White Horse District. Buckland was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.-Character and geography:...
and Longworth
Longworth
Longworth is a village and civil parish about west of Abingdon and a similar distance east of Faringdon and south of Witney. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire...
. A dual-carriageway section by-passes Southmoor
Southmoor
Southmoor is a village in the civil parish of Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, about west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Traditionally part of Berkshire, the 1974 boundary changes transferred local government to Oxfordshire....
and Kingston Bagpuize
Kingston Bagpuize
Kingston Bagpuize is a village in the civil parish of Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, about west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes.-Geography:...
on its way to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
A further dual-carriageway section bypasses Cumnor Hill
Cumnor Hill
Cumnor Hill is a hill in the civil parish of Cumnor, to the west of the city of Oxford in the English county of Oxfordshire. In 1974 it was transferred from Berkshire...
, to give a view of the "City of Dreaming Spires" that is Oxford from the west. It then passes the Oxford Ring Road
Oxford Ring Road
The Oxford ring road is a ring road around the city of Oxford, England. It is a dual carriageway for most of its length apart from a short section to the North between the Woodstock and Banbury Roads....
, through the suburb of Botley
Botley, Oxfordshire
Botley is a village in the civil parish of North Hinksey, just west of the Oxford city boundary in the English county of Oxfordshire. It was in Berkshire until 1974, when it was transferred to Oxfordshire...
and down the Botley Road
Botley Road
Botley Road is the main arterial road into Oxford, England from the west. It stretches between Botley, on the Oxford Ring Road to the west of the city, and Frideswide Square at the junction with Oxford railway station, close to central Oxford....
. It crosses the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
on Osney Bridge
Osney Bridge
Osney Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames in Oxford, England, built in 1889 to replace a stone bridge which collapsed in 1885. It carries the Botley Road from Botley into Oxford...
and reaches central Oxford. Within Oxford, it is routed along Oxpens Road
Oxpens Road
Oxpens Road is a road in central Oxford, England, linking west and south Oxford. It is named after the marshy area of Oxpens, next to one of the branches of the River Thames in Oxford.- Locale :...
, then Thames Street, parts of St Aldate's then the High Street
High Street, Oxford
The High Street in Oxford, England runs between Carfax, generally recognized as the centre of the city, and Magdalen Bridge to the east. Locally the street is often known as The High. It forms a gentle curve and is the subject of many prints, paintings, photographs, etc...
, which is closed to most motor traffic. The road then crosses Magdalen Bridge to St Clements
St Clement's, Oxford
St Clement's is a district in Oxford, England, on the east bank of the River Cherwell. Its main road, St Clement's Street , links The Plain near Magdalen Bridge with London Place at the foot of Headington Hill at the junction with Marston Road to the north...
and East Oxford and ascends the notoriously steep Headington Hill
Headington Hill
Headington Hill is a hill in the east of Oxford, England, in the suburb of Headington. The Headington Road road goes up the hill leading out of the city...
to the suburb of Headington
Headington
Headington is a suburb of Oxford, England. It is at the top of Headington Hill overlooking the city in the Thames Valley below. The life of the large residential area is centred upon London Road, the main road between London and Oxford.-History:...
before terminating at the Green Road roundabout, where it meets the A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
and the Oxford Ring Road.
Large vehicles such as lorries are advised by large signs at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
and 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...
not to take this route and use the alternative A34, from Junction 13 of the M4.
History
When first classified in 1922, the A420 ran between Chippenham and Botley, near Oxford. The road between Bristol and Chippenham was the A430. The two roads were later joined and the A430 renumbered A420. The road from Botley through Oxford to Headington was originally part of the A40. When the northern Oxford bypass was built in the 1930s, the A40 was rerouted along the bypass and the road through Oxford was renumbered A420.As a result of the building of the M4 motorway and subsequent road modernisation, the A420 between Chippenham and Swindon lost its identity. From Chippenham to Lyneham
Lyneham, Wiltshire
Lyneham is a large village in north Wiltshire, within the civil parish of Lyneham and Bradenstoke, and situated southwest of Wootton Bassett, north of Calne and southwest of Swindon. The village is on the A3102 road between Calne and Wootton Bassett.-RAF Lyneham:RAF Lyneham is at Lyneham...
through Sutton Benger
Sutton Benger
Sutton Benger is a small village in the county of Wiltshire in England located North East of Chippenham. In the Survey of English Dialects, the recording from the village was one of the furthest away from Standard English that was recorded. The village was the home of shopkeeper Joseph Fry,...
and to the north of RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
and its limestone ridge, it became the B4069. From Lyneham to Swindon it became part of the A3102. From Swindon through Stratton St Margaret
Stratton St Margaret
Stratton St Margaret is a civil parish in the Borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The parish covers north-eastern suburbs of Swindon including Stratton St Margaret itself along with Upper Stratton, Lower Stratton, Nythe and Kingsdown.-History:...
to the A419 it became the A4312.
Site of Fastest Speeding Ticket
The A420 near Kingston BagpuizeKingston Bagpuize
Kingston Bagpuize is a village in the civil parish of Kingston Bagpuize with Southmoor, about west of Abingdon, Oxfordshire. It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes.-Geography:...
in Oxfordshire was the site of the crime of the fastest driver ever caught in a routine speed check in the UK. On 27 January 2007 Timothy Brady, a 33 year-old man from Harrow, London
Harrow, London
Harrow is an area in the London Borough of Harrow, northwest London, United Kingdom. It is a suburban area and is situated 12.2 miles northwest of Charing Cross...
, was clocked driving at 172 miles per hour (276.8 km/h) in a Porsche 911 Turbo that he had taken without permission from his employer, a luxury car hire firm. Brady was disqualified from driving and sentenced to 10 weeks in prison.