A4000

Route

Old Oak Lane in Harlesden

The A4000 is a largely residential A-road in west London.

The road starts at a signalised junction on the A406 North Circular Road at Gunnersbury Avenue near Acton Town station, with the B4491 opposite. The road heads northeast and after passing the station it meets the A4020. It is now the junior partner in a multiplex along a short section of Acton High Street until the junction of Steyne Road (which becomes Horn Lane) where the A4000 continues northbound towards the A40 at Gyspy Corner with its own gyratory system. The first meeting of the B4492 also happens here just north of the A40 on the northbound section of the gyratory. The unclassified Chase Road provides another alternative route north through industrial Acton whilst the actual route of the A4000 is the next junction, Victoria Road, which becomes Old Oak Lane further to the north as it reaches Harlesden.

The road then reaches Willesden Junction station and for the traffic wishing to head East onto the A404, the A4002 used to be there on the right to take you there. This is two narrow one-way streets, and a width restriction closes off such access for wide vehicles, which probably explains why it was declassified.

Just as the A4000 is about to reach the Harlesden gyratory system the B4492 reappears on the left which adds further congestion to the junction, although it does provide an alternative route for Westbound traffic which can take a left here (note: any other attempts to shortcut this turn are closed off other than for cyclists) and then find another route through to the A404. Those who do remain on the A4000 until the end will hit the A404 on the Harlesden gyratory system.

History

The A4000 has been truncated at both ends since its original 1922 classification.

At the western end, the A4000 originally started on the A4 at Chiswick and headed north along Gunnersbury Avenue. This was taken over by the A406 following the inauguration of the North Circular Road in the 1930s.

At the other end, the A4000 continued beyond the A404 along roads that are now unclassified, that will take you to the A407 Willesden High Road. This route follows Park Parade and Harlesden Road (using Robson Avenue when that is the "straight" bit as Harlesden Road takes a strange bend) then stays on Harlesden Road before turning along Grange Road to meet the A407. This is now all unclassified and Grange Road is closed off, so you can now only use St Andrew's Road.