A4147
A4147 | |||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||
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From: | Hemel Hempstead (TL148075) | ||||||
To: | St Albans (TL137078) | ||||||
Distance: | 8.3 miles (13.4 km) | ||||||
Meets: | A4146, B487, A414, A5183, A1081, A1057 | ||||||
Former Number(s): | A414 | ||||||
Old route now: | A414 | ||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||
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Route
The A4147 is a short A-road in west Hertfordshire.
The road starts on the A4146 on the northern outskirts of Hemel Hempstead, where the same roundabout also serves a minor unclassified road towards a suburb. Heading east, the road soon hits upon the old Piccotts End Road which once served the purpose of the Leighton Buzzard Road, but has been semi-bypassed. Until the roundabout with the A414 the A4147 acts as part of a ring road of sorts, skirting through the suburb of Grovehill and the Industrial Estate, whilst utilizing old alignments of the B487. There is even a short dual-carriageway section which signals the road's departure from its older alignment through Adeyfield. After crossing the A414 the route picks up an old alignment again through Leverstock Green and then enters open country.
The road goes over the M1 and under the A414 (former M10) and continues towards St Albans. It passes the Verulamium Museum on the western side of the city before crossing the River Ver and reaching a roundabout on the A5183 (former A5). There's a short multiplex east into town until the A4147 reappears at a mini-roundabout and continues east along Folly Lane. It ends in the city centre at a roundabout on the A1081 (former A6), with the A1057 continuing ahead.
History
The A4147 was created in 1934 or 1935. Originally it started at a triple point on the A4146 and B486 in the centre of Hemel Hempstead - it ran along Alexandra Road, Adeyfield Road and Leverstock Green Road to end on the A414.
When the M1 opened, it was extended along the new link road to junction 8 (Breakspears), cannoning off the A414. When the M25 opened to the south, the A414 was rerouted between Hemel and Hatfield, taking over the link to the M1 and leaving its former route behind. The A4147 extended along half that former alignment, with the A1057 picking up the bit east of St Albans. The road's route through Hemel has also been changed.