A6003
A6003 | ||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||||||||
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From: | Barton Seagrave (SP896761) | |||||||||
To: | Oakham (SK870085) | |||||||||
Via: | Kettering | |||||||||
Distance: | 22.9 miles (36.9 km) | |||||||||
Meets: | A6, A14, A6098, A509, A6900, A4300, B575, A6013, A43, A6183, A6014, A427, A6116, B670, B672, B664, A47, B641, A606, B640 | |||||||||
Former Number(s): | A6, B668 | |||||||||
Old route now: | A6900, B641 | |||||||||
Primary Destinations | ||||||||||
Highway Authorities | ||||||||||
Traditional Counties | ||||||||||
Route outline (key) | ||||||||||
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Route
The A6003 is one of the more important 4-digit roads in the East Midlands.
It starts in Northamptonshire at A14 J10, where it also meets the A6, at Barton Seagrave, south of Kettering, and takes the route through the town itself, passing to the west of the town centre. It then meets the A43 northern bypass and multiplexes north along that road for a mile or so before turning off, now with primary status.
The road bypasses Corby to the west and then enters Leicestershire and then Rutland a few hundred yards later. From here, it's a more rural drive up to Uppingham. The road runs to the west of Rutland Water before ending on the A606 Oakham bypass.
History
The classification A6003 originally applied only to a part of London Road and Silver Street (shown on today's maps as A6900) in Kettering, forming a link between the A6 and A43. However, it quickly took over the route of the B668 as far as Oakham, which remains the case today, bypasses apart.
The southern section is the old A6, which now multiplexes with the A14 to the west of town.
The multiplex along the A43 north of Kettering dates to 2014, when that road was rerouted along a short stretch of the A6003 before turning onto the new Geddington bypass.