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A4095

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A4095
Location Map ( geo)
Cameraicon.png View gallery (27)
From:  Bicester (SP589243)
To:  Faringdon (SU288955)
Distance:  32.8 miles (52.8 km)
Meets:  A4421, B4100, B4030, B430, B4027, A4260, A44, B4022, B4047, A415, B4449, B4020, A417
Former Number(s):  B4029, B4027, B4025, B4024, B4023, A40, B4021, B4020
Old route now:  B4030
Highway Authorities

Oxfordshire

Traditional Counties

Berkshire • Oxfordshire

Route outline (key)
A4095 Bicester - Faringdon

Route

The A4095 follows a roundabout route that theoretically bypasses Oxford, although nobody would ever use the road from end to end. The road was cobbled together from a number of B-roads in the mid-1920s; it does not seem as though the road has been improved or priorities changed since then - the road gives the impression of having to TOTSO or give way at as many junctions as it can.

Bicester - Witney

The road starts at a roundabout on the northern corner of the Bicester bypass, where it meets the A4421. That road forms the bypass to the east of here and the A4095 to the west. The road starts off high-quality which lulls us into a false sense of security for what will come. We cross the B4100 (former A41) at the next roundabout, then turn left at the one after to go under the Chiltern Main Line. Immediately afterwards there's a badly signed TOTSO right - this is the first of many TOTSOs on the A4095 - and we continue south along the bypass.

Approaching the B430

The B4030 is crossed at the next roundabout, where we join the road's original route; this headed east into the town centre along what is now an unclassified road to end on the then-A421 Kings End. Until recently this junction was a staggered crossroads (with the B4030 having priority); the roundabout was built to connect to a further section of bypass which we follow for a short distance then TOTSO right to rejoin the now-abandoned old road south of the junction. We soon enter the village of Chesterton where the road bends sharply right to head westwards over the M40. A zigzag then takes us to the B430 which we cross at a staggered crossroads; that road has priority.

We continue west along a straight road which is partially wooded. We then reach a T-junction and TOTSO left; the road to the right is unclassified. We then meet the Roman Akeman Street, which has taken a more southerly route from Chesterton, and then enter Kirtlington, where we zigzag through the village along its main street. The road straightens out as we reenter open country and we pass a golf course to another T-junction. We TOTSO right to multiplex with the B4027 through the village of Enslow, crossing the Birmingham to Oxford railway line, the Oxford Canal and the River Cherwell in the next half-mile, bending sharply left after the final bridge. Just round the corner the B4027 reappears when we TOTSO left.

After running alongside the river for a short distance we climb the surprisingly flat Bunkers Hill to reach the A4260. We turn left then right to cross this road and then follow a straight course skirting the edge of Oxford Airport. The A44 is then crossed at a roundabout after which we run through the linear village of Bladon. Behind the houses to the right is Blenheim Park. A short rural section, including a crossing of the River Evenlode, takes us to an industrial estate followed by a crossing of the Oxford to Worcester railway line above Hanborough station. The aptly named village of Long Hanborough is met on the far side. We continue southwest along the straight Witney Road skirting the grounds of Eynsham Hall and bypassing North Leigh, as we always have done. We soon reach another TOTSO; the unclassified road ahead is an impromptu Witney eastern bypass, whilst we turn right to head into the town centre.

Witney - Faringdon

We run along Woodstock Road through the suburbs then, after the buildings have become older and more picturesque, cross the B4022 at a double mini-roundabout. We cross the River Windrush to another mini-roundabout where we turn right to bypass the town centre on Burford Road (the road's old route is still fully open to traffic). At another mini-roundabout on the edge of open country we turn left to run back into town. We pass the cemetery and reach a roundabout, where we rejoin the old A4095. Ahead is the A415 which joins the A40 bypass but we turn sharp right to continue along the edge of the cemetery and continue out through the suburbs. At the next roundabout we cross an unclassified road which acts as the town's western bypass, then we go over the A40 and pass to the south of Curbridge.

Continuing south across flat farmland we cross a bridge over a dismantled railway line then go through the village of Lew, which consists of a church and a few scattered houses. About a mile further on we come to a T-junction and TOTSO left; the unclassified road to the right leads to Brize Norton. We soon reach traffic calming welcoming us to Bampton, where we head south along Broad Street then turn right at a mini-roundabout in the market place, where we meet the B4449. We head west out of town across flat farmland and presently reach the next village, Clanfield.

Radcot bridges

In the village we TOTSO right at a T-junction on meeting the B4020 and regain our southerly course. A mile or so of open country leads to Radcot with its three bridges across the River Thames, the middle one carrying the main channel. All three bridges are S1, with the northernmost having flow controlled by priority signs and the other two needing traffic lights (one set per bridge). The southernmost bridge, Radcot Bridge itself, is claimed to be the oldest bridge over the Thames still in use.

The road continues south across open country, although it's not as flat as it was before. There is an ridge visible in the distance which we climb when we reach it. At the top of the hill we enter Faringdon by having to TOTSO right at a T-junction on an unclassified road. We pass the church, which is on the northern edge of town owing to its proximity to the hall. Just round the corner we enter the market place where we TOTSO right then run along the narrow Marlborough Street for a short distance before reaching a one-way system. In this direction traffic bears left and continues along Marlborough Street (which becomes wider now it's one-way) and we soon reach a mini-roundabout on the (two-way) A417 where the A4095 ends. Turning right takes us to another mini-roundabout marking the start of the other branch of the A4095. We head east along the one-way Gloucester Street, which becomes narrower as we continue, and we soon reach Marlborough Street.

History

Woodstock in 1923, with the present A4095 route superimposed

The A4095 came into existence in the mid-1920s when a number of Class II roads were upgraded. In fact, the A4095 seems to have been devised as edited highlights of the B402x roads, with most being affected in some way by the creation of the A4095.

Starting on the A421 in Bicester town centre, the road followed the B4030 (this road returned to its original number following the removal of the A4095 onto the bypass) as far as the B4029, which took the road to Chesterton. That road then followed Akeman Street to the west whereas the A4095 follows a slightly less direct route just to the north. The ex-B4029 is met in time to go through Kirtlington and on to Enslow.

Only a short section of the B4027 has been taken over by the A4095: the road over the bridges through Enslow. After this, the road follows a formerly unclassified route to the east of Woodstock (the B4028 left the B4027 further west to reach Woodstock itself; this was declassified when the A4095 arrived) to reach the short B4025 on the far side of the A42 (present A44). The road soon met the B4024, which took us to the A40 and Witney.

Originally the A4095 multiplexed along the A40 along High Street and Corn Street, with the present A4095 Burford Road then being the B4023. Although that road survived the creation of the A4095, maps suggest that it became the mainline of the A40 in the 1930s, with the old A40 becoming either the A4095 or A415. It appears that the A4095 was later moved onto Welch Way before gaining its current route following the construction of the A40 southern bypass.

Continuing south, the A4095 followed the B4021 from Witney to Clanfield, then took over the B4020 into Faringdon. The road originally ended on the A420 in the market place and gained its current route when that road was diverted onto the bypass. Marlborough Street is the original line of the A420 whilst Gloucester Road was the A417.




A4095
Junctions
Crossings
Places
Related Pictures
View gallery (27)
A4095 in to Hanborough - Geograph - 1386298.jpgEntering Clanfield - Geograph - 1084882.jpgHeading towards Bampton - Geograph - 1538431.jpgThe A4095 through Clanfield - Geograph - 1569584.jpgThe A4095 passes the entrance to Kirtlington Golf Club - Geograph - 1587514.jpg
Other nearby roads
Bicester
Witney
A4000-A4099
A4000 • A4001 • A4002 • A4003 • A4004 • A4005 • A4006 • A4007 • A4008 • A4009 • A4010 • A4011 • A4012 • A4013 • A4014 • A4015 • A4016 • A4017 • A4018 • A4019
A4020 • A4021 • A4022 • A4023 • A4024 • A4025 • A4026 • A4027 • A4028 • A4029 • A4030 • A4031 • A4032 • A4033 • A4034 • A4035 • A4036 • A4037 • A4038 • A4039
A4040 • A4041 • A4042 • A4043 • A4044 • A4045 • A4046 • A4047 • A4048 • A4049 • A4050 • A4051 • A4052 • A4053 • A4054 • A4055 • A4056 • A4057 • A4058 • A4059
A4060 • A4061 • A4062 • A4063 • A4064 • A4065 • A4066 • A4067 • A4068 • A4069 • A4070 • A4071 • A4072 • A4073 • A4074 • A4075 • A4076 • A4077 • A4078 • A4079
A4080 • A4081 • A4082 • A4083 • A4084 • A4085 • A4086 • A4087 • A4088 • A4089 • A4090 • A4091 • A4092 • A4093 • A4094 • A4095 • A4096 • A4097 • A4098 • A4099
Earlier iterations: A4008 • A4013 • A4015 • A4020 • A4032 • A4040 • A4041 • A4044 • A4045 • A4047 • A4050 • A4051 • A4052 • A4053 • A4057
A4060 • A4062 • A4066 • A4068 • A4069 • A4071 • A4072 • A4073 • A4074 • A4080 • A4082 • A4084 • A4085(N) • A4085(S) • A4087 • A4090


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