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A142

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A142
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (6)
From:  Newmarket (TL645635)
To:  Chatteris (TL389871)
Via:  Ely
Distance:  25.9 miles (41.7 km)
Meets:  A1304, B1063, B1103, A14, B1102, A1123, A10, A1421, B1381, B1098, A141
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

Cambridgeshire • Suffolk

Traditional Counties

Cambridgeshire • Suffolk

Route outline (key)
A142 Newmarket - Bypass
A142 Newmarket Bypass - Ely
(A10) Ely
A142 Ely - Chatteris

The A142 is one of those largely flat fenland roads that has been improved with a number of smaller bypasses and realignments over the years.

It starts at a mini-roundabout on the A1304 (former A11) on the edge of Newmarket town centre. It heads north out of town along Fordham Road, crossing the A14 at J37 where it becomes primary. After crossing the Ipswich to Ely railway line it meets a roundabout marking the beginning of the first of several bypasses on the road, this one being of Fordham.

The Fordham bypass runs into the Soham bypass at another roundabout, after which the A142 rejoins its current route at a third. With the road now almost completely flat, a large building becomes visible in the far distance; this is Ely Cathedral, a landmark for miles around. It gets closer and closer as we approach Ely itself and eventually cross the River Great Ouse to reach the railway line on the edge of the city.

Ely

The railway crossing is an unusual one, with a very low bridge underbridge (2.7 m) beside the level crossing adjacent to the station. The bridge is the through route with traffic using the level crossing having to TOTSO and then give way. The crossing is currently in the process of being bypassed by a new southern bypass.

Main Article: Ely Southern Bypass


Meanwhile, until the bypass opens, having crossed the railway, a mini-roundabout is reached. The original A142 continued ahead to the cathedral where it met the A10, with which it multiplexed out of town to the west. Now the A142 has been diverted via Angel Drove to the western bypass but still needs to multiplex along the A10.

The A142 regains its number at a roundabout and heads west along Witchford Road, although Witchford itself is now bypassed. After passing Sutton it crosses two fen drains before reaching Chatteris. Originally the road ran into town where it ended on the A141 but both roads now bypass Chatteris, the A142 running round the west and north sides of the town to end at a roundabout where the A141 returns to its old route north of the town centre.

Paul Berry writes:
Midway between Ely and Newmarket is Soham, home of Turners (Soham) Ltd., a refrigerated haulage firm second only to Eddie Stobart in terms of the ubiquity of its fleet. It's unlikely you could travel any appreciable distance in the country without spotting one of their rigs.





A142
Projects
Junctions
Crossings
Places
Related Pictures
View gallery (6)
Station Street (A142), Ely - Geograph - 1332391.jpgRoundabout on Ely Road, Sutton, Cambs - Geograph - 227328.jpgEly High Bridge - Geograph - 1601355.jpgLooking along The Gallery - Geograph - 1581376.jpg20180602-1202 - A142 Ely southern bypass - tie in with existing road at Angel Drove 52.38499N 0.253876E.jpg
Other nearby roads
Newmarket
Ely
Chatteris
A100-A199
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A120 • A121 • A122 • A123 • A124 • A125 • A126 • A127 • A128 • A129 • A130 • A131 • A132 • A133 • A134 • A135 • A136 • A137 • A138 • A139
A140 • A141 • A142 • A143 • A144 • A145 • A146 • A147 • A148 • A149 • A150 • A151 • A152 • A153 • A154 • A155 • A156 • A157 • A158 • A159
A160 • A161 • A162 • A163 • A164 • A165 • A166 • A167 • A168 • A169 • A170 • A171 • A172 • A173 • A174 • A175 • A176 • A177 • A178 • A179
A180 • A181 • A182 • A183 • A184 • A185 • A186 • A187 • A188 • A189 • A190 • A191 • A192 • A193 • A194 • A195 • A196 • A197 • A198 • A199
Defunct Itineraries & Motorways: A102(M) East Cross Route • A102(M) Southern Approach • A106(E) • A108(N) • A108(S) • A115 • A118
A132 • A122 • A135 • A138 • A139 • A147 • A154 • A160 • A167(M) • A168(M) • A176 • A180(W) • A180(E) • A194(M) • A194 • A195(M) • A195

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