A41/Bicester - Solihull
From Roader's Digest: The SABRE Wiki
| A41 | ||||
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| From: | Bicester (SP590212) | |||
| To: | Solihull (SP170786) | |||
| Met (1984): | A41, A421, A43, A423, A361, A422, A452, A425, A429, A46, A4177, A4023, M42, A41 | |||
| Now part of: | B4100, A4260, B4100, A4177, A4141 | |||
| Traditional Counties | ||||
| Route outline (key) | ||||
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These days, there is no trace on the map of the A41 between M40 junction 9 and the M42. Indeed, both the A34 and A41 traffic are signed north to Birmingham on the M40. In fact, the route of the old A41 is not too difficult to find — just follow the B4100 towards Banbury and Warwick.
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The old A41 leaves the current route of that road on the eastern edge of Bicester, roughly at the A4421 roundabout. It then runs through the centre of town along the B4100 to run through Caversfield and alongside the M40. This section of road is wide and straight (although obviously downgraded) and so it is not difficult to imagine this was once a trunk road. This illusion is shattered after crossing the Northamptonshire border where the road zigzags through the village of Aynho although the good quality resumes on the far side. Presently Adderbury is reached where there is a T-junction on the A4260.
The ex-A41 continues north along what is now the A4260 into the centre of Banbury. Formerly the multiplex was with the A423 although the A41 was dominant. On the far side of the town centre the B4100 reappears turning off to the left. There are short multiplexes along both the A361 and the A422 before the B4100 leaves town and continues its route parallel to the M40. This section is fairly rural, as can be seen by the lack of motorway junctions in the area: after Banbury the next one is at Gaydon which is not reached for some distance. At the next M40 junction, J13, the B4100 turns into the A452 without ceremony and that road then goes into Leamington Spa. We're after Warwick, however, so need to take the A425 at the next junction.
The A425 goes through Warwick town centre before ending on the A46 bypass. Ahead is the A4177 which acts as an impromptu southern bypass for Kenilworth. After going through Hatton a roundabout is reached and the ex-A41 continues ahead onto the A4141, another number hinting at the road's history. This enters the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull and goes through Knowle before reaching M42 J5. This marks the end of the diversion as the A41 reappears ahead.
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