A1073
A1073 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Eye (TF227028) | |||
To: | Spalding (TF247225) | |||
Distance: | 14.6 miles (23.5 km) | |||
Met: | A47, A16, A151 | |||
Former Number(s): | B1165, B1040 | |||
Now part of: | C724, B1166, C719,B1173 | |||
Primary Destinations | ||||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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Route
The A1073 was an old, fenland route which suffered from being the only direct road between Peterborough and Spalding, though I'm tempted to say it wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't for locals desperate to overtake at 60mph around bends. Surrounded by dykes, and steep banks, as well as the notorious Crowland junctions, it was failing to cope with the volumes of traffic on it. Complete closures became increasingly common.
An added complication was that because the road spanned two local authorities, neither council could agree who should develop and fund a new, improved route. English Heritage also insisted on an expensive new viaduct, and bridge to protect the local section of Carr Dyke - a Roman waterway. Finally, in 2002, Lincolnshire County Council and Peterborough City Council agreed on a joint proposal - which would also serve as a bypass of the A16 route from Stamford. The A1073 had finally met its match.
History
The A1073 was originally classified as the B1165 from Eye to Crowland, and then the northern end of the B1040 to Spalding. It was upgraded to a Class I route on 1st April, 1924.
Although the road originally ran from the centre of Eye to the centre of Spalding, later bypasses of both places shortened the road at its ends. The A1073 also gained its own bypass, that of Crowland.
The A16 improvement was fully opened on the 16th of October 2011, making the road defunct and now mostly a local road. From Eye to Crowland it is the C724, then there's a very short section of B1040 through the village and a longer section of B1166 to the east (although the first Crowland bypass remains the C724). The second section to Cowbit and the Spalding bypass is now the C719, whilst the old road into Spalding itself is now the B1173.