A43 road
Encyclopedia
The A43 is a primary route in the English
Midlands, that runs from the M40 motorway
near Ardley
in Oxfordshire
to Stamford
in Lincolnshire
. Through Northamptonshire
it bypasses the towns of Northampton
, Kettering
and Corby
which are the three principal destinations on the A43 route. The A43 also links to the M1 motorway
.
The section of the road between the M40 and M1 is designated a trunk road
, managed and maintained by the Highways Agency
. The remainder of the route is the responsibility of local authorities.
Following the junction with the M40, the A43 first meets a roundabout with the B4100 for traffic headed north west for the village of Aynho
or south for the town of Bicester
. Continuing north, the A43 passes many Oxfordshire
and Northamptonshire
rural villages and towns before meeting the A421 which spurs towards Buckingham
and later, Milton Keynes
.
The stretch of A43 through Northamptonshire
was upgraded to dual carriageway
standard between the M1 and Towcester in 1991 and through to the M40 in the early 2000s. This was primarily to provide a link from the M1 to the M40 and also to Silverstone
, home of the British Grand Prix
.
The town of Brackley
was bypassed in 1987. Just south of Brackley
, drivers will approach a traffic island which spurs off in one direction for the A422
(for the M40
at Banbury
and the A423
for motorists heading for Warwickshire
) or the other direction which continues as the A43 into Northamptonshire. The A422
is met once again to the east of Brackley
, allowing motorists an additional route into Buckinghamshire
. Two miles north of Brackley, the B4525 (a B classified route for traffic from South Northamptonshire to reach the M40
at Banbury
) joins the A43.
From here, the A43 leaves the Oxfordshire
borders and continues in a North-Easterly direction towards Silverstone, where the road joins the A413
at a grade-separated
junction.
Later, the A43 bypasses Towcester
, where it meets the A5 (Roman
Watling Street
) at a roundabout
. This roundabout is dangerously unsuited to the traffic volumes it handles on both roads. Continuing towards Northampton
, it by-passes Blisworth
and Milton Malsor
villages, before reaching the M1 at junction 15A, at Rothersthorpe
services. The junction was created when the road was built from Towcester in 1991. This stretch from Towcester to Rothersthorpe has four crossover junctions, notorious for serious accidents including fatalities.
Nene Valley Way up to the Lumbertubs Way Interchange. From here it splits from the A45
and continues via dual carriageway where it meets the Round Spinney roundabout. North of Northampton, it rejoins the old course of the A43 and passes through Moulton
. A bypass is proposed for here.
Following this, the road has a straight, rural stretch before reaching a roundabout at Broughton
. After bypassing Broughton, it continues towards Kettering
. It overlaps the A14 at its Junction 8, to bypass Kettering
. At Junction 7 the A43 re-emerges on a new dual carriageway bypass. The old route of the A43 through Kettering town centre is still intact.
After bypassing Kettering, the road passes Boughton House
, and travels through the historic village of Geddington
. The traffic is often heavy here, and a bypass is proposed. Continuing from here, it passes the Euro-Hub site at Corby
, and then it passes Corby and reaches several roundabouts.
, it heads out on a rural stretch, past Deene Park
, and then bypassing Bulwick
, the only village on this stretch. It passes some splendid woodland, and then heads towards Duddington.
Bypassing Duddington, it meets the A47
. After 2.5 miles (4 km) it passes through Collyweston
and Easton-on-the-Hill.
Then it meets the A1, before continuing towards Stamford. Previously, the A43 stopped at a junction with the Old A1 (Great North Road
) in Stamford, but now that Stamford
is bypassed, the A43 continues over the River Welland
, until it reaches the A16.
(later the A34
) at Kidlington
to Stamford. After completion of the Oxford Ring Road
, the southern terminus was changed to the Pear Tree Roundabout between Kidlington and Oxford
. When the M40 was opened in 1991 the road from the Pear Tree Roundabout to Weston-on-the-Green
was renumbered A34, and the stretch through Middleton Stoney
between the A34 and junction 10 of the M40 was downgraded to the B430.
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...
Midlands, that runs from the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
near Ardley
Ardley
Ardley is a village in Ardley with Fewcott civil parish in Oxfordshire, England, about northwest of Bicester. The parish includes the village of Fewcott that is now contiguous with Ardley.-History:...
in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
to Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. Through Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
it bypasses the towns of Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
and Corby
Corby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
which are the three principal destinations on the A43 route. The A43 also links to the M1 motorway
M1 motorway
The M1 is a north–south motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where it joins the A1 near Aberford. While the M1 is considered to be the first inter-urban motorway to be completed in the United Kingdom, the first road to be built to motorway standard in the country was the...
.
The section of the road between the M40 and M1 is designated a trunk road
Trunk road
A trunk road, trunk highway, or strategic road is a major road—usually connecting two or more cities, ports, airports, and other things.—which is the recommended route for long-distance and freight traffic...
, managed and maintained by the Highways Agency
Highways 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...
. The remainder of the route is the responsibility of local authorities.
M40 to M1
The A43 starts at M40 junction 10 (the location of Cherwell Valley Services) and is widely regarded as being one of the worst motorway junctions in the country despite improvements made in the early 2000s. There are often long tailbacks at the junction, even at off-peak times.Following the junction with the M40, the A43 first meets a roundabout with the B4100 for traffic headed north west for the village of Aynho
Aynho
Aynho is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England, on the edge of the Cherwell valley about southeast of the north Oxfordshire town of Banbury and southwest of Brackley...
or south for the town of Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
. Continuing north, the A43 passes many Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
rural villages and towns before meeting the A421 which spurs towards Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
and later, Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
.
The stretch of A43 through Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
was upgraded to 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...
standard between the M1 and Towcester in 1991 and through to the M40 in the early 2000s. This was primarily to provide a link from the M1 to the M40 and also to Silverstone
Silverstone Circuit
Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side...
, home of the British Grand Prix
British Grand Prix
The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire...
.
The town of Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
was bypassed in 1987. Just south of Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
, drivers will approach a traffic island which spurs off in one direction for the A422
A422 road
The A422 is an "A" road for east-west journeys in south central England, connecting the county towns of Bedford and Worcester by way of Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Banbury and Stratford-upon-Avon. For most of its length, is a narrow single carriageway....
(for the M40
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
at Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
and the A423
A423 road
The A423 road is a primary A road in England which leads from central Banbury to the A45 near Coventry. It starts in Banbury town centre as Southam Road and goes through the Southam Road Industrial Estate, then just north of Banbury it crosses over the M40, from there it passes close to several...
for motorists heading for Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
) or the other direction which continues as the A43 into Northamptonshire. The A422
A422 road
The A422 is an "A" road for east-west journeys in south central England, connecting the county towns of Bedford and Worcester by way of Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Banbury and Stratford-upon-Avon. For most of its length, is a narrow single carriageway....
is met once again to the east of Brackley
Brackley
Brackley is a town in south Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Oxford and miles form Northampton. Historically a market town based on the wool and lace trade, it was built on the intersecting trade routes between London, Birmingham and the English Midlands and between Cambridge and Oxford...
, allowing motorists an additional route into Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. Two miles north of Brackley, the B4525 (a B classified route for traffic from South Northamptonshire to reach the M40
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
at Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
) joins the A43.
From here, the A43 leaves the Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
borders and continues in a North-Easterly direction towards Silverstone, where the road joins the A413
A413 road
The A413 is a major road in England that links Gerrards Cross to Towcester. It passes through various towns and villages including Buckingham, Aylesbury, Wendover, Winslow, Great Missenden and Amersham....
at a 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...
junction.
Later, the A43 bypasses Towcester
Towcester
Towcester , the Roman town of Lactodorum, is a small town in south Northamptonshire, England.-Etymology:Towcester comes from the Old English Tófe-ceaster. Tófe refers to the River Tove; Bosworth and Toller compare it to the "Scandinavian proper names" Tófi and Tófa...
, where it meets the A5 (Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
Watling Street
Watling Street
Watling Street is the name given to an ancient trackway in England and Wales that was first used by the Britons mainly between the modern cities of Canterbury and St Albans. The Romans later paved the route, part of which is identified on the Antonine Itinerary as Iter III: "Item a Londinio ad...
) at a 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...
. This roundabout is dangerously unsuited to the traffic volumes it handles on both roads. Continuing towards Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
, it by-passes Blisworth
Blisworth
Blisworth is a village and civil parish in the South Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England. The West Coast Main Line, from London Euston to Manchester and Scotland, runs alongside the village partly hidden and partly on an embankment...
and Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor
Milton Malsor is a village and civil parish in South Northamptonshire, England. It is south of Northampton, south-east of Birmingham, and north of central London; junction 15 of the M1 motorway is east by road...
villages, before reaching the M1 at junction 15A, at Rothersthorpe
Rothersthorpe
Rothersthorpe is a small village of medieval origin, in South Northamptonshire, England, with a population of 500 in the 2001 Census. It is from the town of Northampton.-Governance:...
services. The junction was created when the road was built from Towcester in 1991. This stretch from Towcester to Rothersthorpe has four crossover junctions, notorious for serious accidents including fatalities.
M1 to Corby
From M1 junction 15a the A43 runs concurrently southbound on the M1 to junction 15. It then follows the A45A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
Nene Valley Way up to the Lumbertubs Way Interchange. From here it splits from the A45
A45 road
The A45 is a major road in England. It runs east from Birmingham past the National Exhibition Centre and the M42, then bypasses Coventry and Rugby, where it briefly merges with the M45 until it continues to Daventry...
and continues via dual carriageway where it meets the Round Spinney roundabout. North of Northampton, it rejoins the old course of the A43 and passes through Moulton
Moulton, Northamptonshire
Moulton is a large village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire in England.-Education:There is one major school in Moulton which serves other surrounding small villages in the area....
. A bypass is proposed for here.
Following this, the road has a straight, rural stretch before reaching a roundabout at Broughton
Broughton, Northamptonshire
Broughton is a large village and civil parish in the borough of Kettering, in Northamptonshire, England. Its population in 2001 was 2,047 people. The village is located around 2 miles south-west of Kettering, next to the A43 road .Broughton has a long history, being referred to as "Burtone" in the...
. After bypassing Broughton, it continues towards Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
. It overlaps the A14 at its Junction 8, to bypass Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
. At Junction 7 the A43 re-emerges on a new dual carriageway bypass. The old route of the A43 through Kettering town centre is still intact.
After bypassing Kettering, the road passes Boughton House
Boughton House
Boughton House is a country house about north-east of Kettering off the A43 road near Geddington in Northamptonshire, England, which belongs to the Duke of Buccleuch.-History:...
, and travels through the historic village of Geddington
Geddington
Geddington is a village and civil parish on the A43 in north-east Northamptonshire between Kettering and Corby.It contains what is thought to be the best surviving Eleanor cross. The monument dates from 1294, when the crosses were raised as a memorial by Edward I to his late wife, Eleanor of...
. The traffic is often heavy here, and a bypass is proposed. Continuing from here, it passes the Euro-Hub site at Corby
Corby
Corby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
, and then it passes Corby and reaches several roundabouts.
Corby to Stamford
After bypassing Corby and WeldonWeldon, Northamptonshire
Weldon is a village and civil parish in the English county of Northamptonshire, two miles due east of the town centre of Corby. It is administered by Corby Borough Council; at the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 1,644 people....
, it heads out on a rural stretch, past Deene Park
Deene Park
Deene Park, the seat of the Brudenell family since 1514, is a country manor located 5 miles north-east of Corby in the county of Northamptonshire, England. The manor of Deene belonged to Westminster Abbey; annual rent of £18 was paid until 1970...
, and then bypassing Bulwick
Bulwick
Bulwick is a village and civil parish in the East Northamptonshire district of Northamptonshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 152 people. It is about six miles north-east of Corby, and is just off the A43 road. The Willow Brook runs through the village....
, the only village on this stretch. It passes some splendid woodland, and then heads towards Duddington.
Bypassing Duddington, it meets 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:...
. After 2.5 miles (4 km) it passes through Collyweston
Collyweston
Collyweston is a village and civil parish about three miles south-west of Stamford on the road to Kettering.-Geography:The village is on the southern side of the Welland valley of Tixover. The River Welland, at the point nearby to the north-west, is the boundary between Rutland and...
and Easton-on-the-Hill.
Then it meets the A1, before continuing towards Stamford. Previously, the A43 stopped at a junction with the Old A1 (Great North Road
Great North Road (Great Britain)
The Great North Road was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. The modern A1 mainly follows the Great North Road. The inns on the road, many of which survive, were staging posts on the coach routes, providing accommodation, stabling for the horses and...
) in Stamford, but now that Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
is bypassed, the A43 continues over 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...
, until it reaches the A16.
History of the road number
The original (1923) route of the A43 was from the A42A42 road
The A42 is a major trunk road in the East Midlands region of the United Kingdom. It links junction 23A of the M1 motorway to junction 11 of the M42 motorway. The A42 is in effect a continuation of the M42, and its junctions are numbered accordingly....
(later the A34
A34 road
The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A6042 in Salford to Winchester in Hampshire. It forms a large part of the major trunk route from Southampton, via Oxford, to Birmingham, The Potteries and Manchester...
) at Kidlington
Kidlington
Kidlington is a large village and civil parish between the River Cherwell and the Oxford Canal, north of Oxford and southwest of Bicester.-History:...
to Stamford. After completion of 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....
, the southern terminus was changed to the Pear Tree Roundabout between Kidlington 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...
. When the M40 was opened in 1991 the road from the Pear Tree Roundabout to Weston-on-the-Green
Weston-on-the-Green
Weston-on-the-Green is a village and civil parish about southwest of Bicester.-Manor:Wigod of Wallingford held the manor of Weston at the time of the Norman conquest of England. Wigod died shortly after the conquest, leaving his estates including Weston to his son-in-law, the Norman baron Robert...
was renumbered A34, and the stretch through Middleton Stoney
Middleton Stoney
Middleton Stoney is a village and civil parish about west of Bicester, Oxfordshire.-History:Aves ditch is pre-Saxon and may have been dug as a boundary ditch...
between the A34 and junction 10 of the M40 was downgraded to the B430.