A140
A140 | |||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||
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From: | Needham Market (TM107541) | ||||||
To: | Crossdale Street (TG227384) | ||||||
Distance: | 56.1 miles (90.3 km) | ||||||
Meets: | A14, B1078, A1120, B1117, B1077, B1118, A143, A1066, B1134, B1527, A47, B1113, A146, A1056, A11, B1108, A1074, A1067, A1042, A1402, B1149, B1354, B1145, B1436, A149 | ||||||
Former Number(s): | A1074, A147 | ||||||
Old route now: | A14 | ||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||
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Route
The A140 is the main road between Ipswich and Norwich, although it doesn't quite meet the former and goes further than the latter.
Section 1: Beacon Hill - Scole
The A140 starts at Beacon Hill (junction 51 of the A14) east of Needham Market. The first mile and a half north from the A14 constitutes the only dualled section of this road in Suffolk; it is also the first of several sections limited to 50 mph. This dual two-lane stretch has a particularly wide central reservation, but is otherwise a standard dual carriageway, with the eastbound B1078 soon turning off.
The dual section over, the road begins its amble through Suffolk, passing near Earl Stonham and Little Stonham, the former being the location of a junction with the A1120. In Little Stonham, the Magpie pub is passed, which previously featured a high gantry across the road housing the pub's sign. This sign was removed in 2021 after being struck by a vehicle.
Further on, you can see a large transmitting station on the east side of the road near Brockford. Yaxley village is bypassed, and at the northern end two roundabouts were constructed in 2021: one for the unclassified road between Yaxley and Eye, replacing a staggered crossroads, and the other connecting to a short new link road to the B1077 around the south side of Brome. The old junction of the A140 and B1077 to the north is now a LILO. The road continues for another two miles before arriving at a pair of roundabouts outside Scole; the first (in Suffolk) for the A143 Bury St Edmunds to Great Yarmouth road, and the second (in Norfolk) for the A1066 to nearby Diss and Thetford.
Section 2: Scole - Norwich
Continuing north, we bypass Thelveton and Dickleburgh, before passing back into open countryside. Long Stratton and Newton Flotman are not bypassed, before we eventually reach the A47 Norwich by-pass, which is grade-separated for the A47. Once into the urban area, we quickly pick up the outer ring road on meeting the A146, which comes in from Lowestoft in the east. The road ahead into town and the A11 is the A1056 (and was the A140 at one time) while the A140 now heads west around the ring road.
Section 3: Norwich - Crossdale Street (near Cromer)
The Norwich ring road section of the A140 is largely S2 liberally scattered with roundabouts and other means of slowing you down. After running around about 120 degrees, we bear left at a signalised gyratory to pick up our northern alignment again out of Norwich; the A1042 continues along the ring road.
Leaving town, we pass Norwich Airport, with the old road now lost under the runway, and head towards Aylsham which is now bypassed. After several more miles and a few more villages we go through Roughton and cross Roughton Heath. The A140 doesn't quite make it all the way to Cromer, the primary destination on the signs since Norwich as it comes to an end at a T-junction with the A149, which takes over the primary route for the last few miles into Cromer.
History
On classification in 1922 the A140 started on the then-A45 in Claydon, following the line of the modern A14 to reach its current starting point. This section was downgraded when the main road was moved onto its current alignment. Bypasses aside, the A140 then continued north along its current route as far as Norwich, where it ended on the A11 on the southern side of the city.
In 1935 the A140 was extended north from Norwich to Crossdale Street along the entire length of the A147. It was later rerouted out of town onto the western half of the ring road (originally A1074).
Links
legislation.gov.uk
- The A140 North of Ipswich to Norwich Trunk Road (A14 Coddenham to A47 Norwich Southern Bypass) Detrunking Order 2001 - Detrunking of the route between the A14 and A47