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A417

A417 shield

A417
The A417 Brockworth bypass with Gloucester in the distance
Route information
Length: 96.9 mi (155.9 km)
Major junctions
Southeast end: Streatley, Berkshire
51°31′31″N 1°08′57″W / 51.5253°N 1.1493°W / 51.5253; -1.1493
  Junction 11a.svg [ M 5  ]M5 motorway
Junction 2.svg [ M 50  ]M50 motorway
A329A329 road
A338A338 road
A419A419 road
A420A420 road
A361A361 road
A429A429 road
A435A435 road
A436A436 road
A46 A46 road
A38 A38 road
A40 A40 road
A449A449 road
A438A438 road
A4103A4103 road
A465A465 road
A49 A49 road
Northwest end: Hope Under Dinmore
52°10′26″N 2°42′55″W / 52.1738°N 2.7153°W / 52.1738; -2.7153
Location
Primary
destinations
:
Cirencester
Gloucester
Wantage
Road network

A417 shield

The A417 is a main road in England running from Streatley, Berkshire to Hope under Dinmore, Herefordshire. It is best known for its section between Cirencester and Gloucester where it has primary status and forms part of the link between the major settlements of Swindon and Gloucester.

When the A417 was first designated in 1922, it ran only from Streatley to Cirencester. In 1935 it was extended to Gloucester, on the former route of the A419, and on to Ledbury and Hope under Dinmore.

There have been numerous upgrades and bypasses, particularly on the primary section. At Faringdon, its traditional route over Folly Hill and down through the market place has been blocked by the more recent development of the A420 and has been diverted to the south. The Birdlip bypass, opened in 1988, avoided a very steep (16%) gradient as the road descended the Cotswold Edge escarpment to Brockworth.

It runs from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between Reading and Wallingford) to Wantage, over the picturesque Berkshire Downs. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place (around King Alfred's statue and thence to Faringdon, via Stanford in the Vale. It leads on to Lechlade, where it crosses the River Thames. It then runs past the Cotswold Water Park, through Fairford to Cirencester and thence to Gloucester.


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Wikipedia

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