A1122

Route

The A1122 is a cross-country road in west Norfolk and used to be the route of the A47 before that road was diverted to the north via King's Lynn. The road has stretches of good quality open road through rural Fenland and Breckland.

Outwell - Swaffham Heath

Whereas the A47 leaves its original route in Wisbech the first stretch of vacated route was numbered A1101 in 1935 and the A1122 only appears a few miles further on in Outwell where the A1101 turns off at a mini-roundabout. These two roads were separated by a canal which was later filled in; for years the A1101 left the A1122 on a bridge over the canal. The A1122 continues through Fenland following a Fenland Drain, sometimes on top of the river bank, sometimes halfway up it. The land round here is at sea level and the line of electricity pylons can be seen for miles.

Level Crossing, Downham Market Bypass

As the A1122 nears Downham Market it crosses the River Ouse, which is tidal at this point, then another "Fenland Drain" before a roundabout next to the railway crossing. The A1122 now follows the bypass route built to relieve the town of the seasonal sugar beet lorries going through the narrow streets. The junction with the A10 has been changed to a roundabout due to the previous junction having many accidents. The A1122 follows the A10 eastern bypass for a mile then regains its number by turning right at another roundabout.

Now out of the Fens, the road travels east on a good-quality road passing the notorious Stradsett junction with the A134. The road disappears into another village, Fincham, then out onto the Breckland on a straight road past RAF Marham to the left. It then zigzags to pass through a conifer woodland to meet up with the A47 to the west of the Swaffham bypass. In the days when the A47 took our route, this was the eastern end of the A17.