B2174

This article is about the B2174 that is on the first Dartford bypass.
For the pre 1972 road in Stone, Kent, see B2174 (Stone - Darenth Wood).

Preamble

The B2174 is the latest number belonging to a road which, on construction, was probably one of the earliest renumberings of all. When the first Dartford bypass opened in 1924 (opened by Prince Edward, later to become Edward VIII, hence the road's name Princes Road), the whole road was numbered A2; prior to this the A2 would have gone though the centre of Dartford, which was then and still is congested.

When Rochester Way opened around 1927, the A2 did a TOTSO at what is now the A2018 towards Bexley and the bypassed section was renumbered A207. Once the second Dartford bypass opened (although as the A282 also bypasses the town to the east you could say this is the third bypass), our road was downgraded to B class and numbered B2174. This is the current situation.

Route

Towards the eastern end of the B2174 in Dartford

The B2174 starts at the junction between the A225 and that route's Princes Road spur towards the A282. This is quite a busy junction so it is traffic-light-controlled. We head west along our section of Princes Road which is one of few 40 mph roads in Dartford and so quite a fast road. After passing a left turn for Tree Estate, where the shops are, and an unclassified road towards Dartford town centre, we go under a pedestrian road bridge then bend round to the right. It is a gentle curve, though, so it is very easy to do 40, or even more actually so a GATSO is on this stretch of road.

After passing a no-left-turn road from Tree Estate, we enter a stretch of dual-carriageway and reach a staggered junction, so we are greeted to two sets of traffic lights. We then pass a few houses and one of the cheapest petrol stations in the town, after which the lanes divide into two ways as we approach the A2018 junction: the left-hand lane for the A2 and London; the right for straight ahead and right.

This marks the end of the dual carriageway and we revert to S2 thereafter towards the roundabout, which I personally call Border Roundabout since this marks the Border between London and the Kent County Council area. As the road is so straight, you can see it from a good distance. After passing various roads for local residences, we come to the Border Roundabout. This is where 30 mph starts again and marks the end of road. The options are to turn right for Dartford town centre or left for Crayford, Bexleyheath and the old route of the A2 into London.

Links

• A Document of the opening of the first Dartford bypass in November 1924

Original Author(s): A Beaton