A659

Route

The A659 is a non-primary A-road running along 20 miles of Wharfedale.

Section 1: Tadcaster – Harewood

The road used to begin in the centre of Tadcaster, at a junction with the old A64, but it has now been extended slightly as the entire section of the old A64 has been given the A659 number! This means that the A659 starts in two places: two GSJs at either end of the present A64 Tadcaster bypass, and then these two routes meet in the middle, at the location of the original starting point.

A couple of tight bends and a short one-way system take us out of the village and along the floodplain of the River Wharfe. Boston Spa is passed, then we go underneath the A1(M) at its junction 45. The A168, the all-purpose route parallel to the motorway, leaves at the next roundabout. We then enter Collingham, and turn left for a short multiplex with the A58. It's strange that this section of road remains non-primary given that it's the only link between the A58 and the A1(M) now that the old junction in Wetherby has been closed with the upgrade to motorway.

Collingham

We leave the A58 by turning right at an at-grade junction after half a mile. The next mile of Collingham village is subject to a 30mph speed limit with repeater signs, as there are no street lights. We ascend a short hill to leave the village, and the road narrows and becomes a touch twisty, with a tall hedge on the right side. We then straighten out for a fast section through woodland, before arriving at a TOTSO to the right in the village of Harewood. Straight ahead would take us into the grounds of Harewood House.

Section 2: Harewood – Otley

This turning also makes us multiplex with the A61 for a mile or so. We leave Harewood by descending a hill with a 10% gradient, that used to have two lanes on the uphill side, but this has been altered so the road is now S2. As the route straightens, we turn left at an at-grade junction to pick up the A659 again as the A61 turns sharply right to cross the River Wharfe.

Arthington

The road narrows as we approach Arthington: there are a couple of spots along here where a truck and car cannot pass each other. The same is true as we enter Pool, with its overhanging trees and buttressing stone walls and buildings. A small roundabout, where we turn right, takes us onto yet another multiplex, this time with the A658. We leave this road after a quarter-mile though, and resume our trip alongside the River Wharfe again.

We enter Otley, then cross a very tight staggered junction in the centre. Several of the buildings overhang here, so large vehicles require extreme care to negotiate it. This junction used to be the terminus of the A660, but this route now takes the bypass to the south. The A659 continues through the western section of the town, before ending at a roundabout with the aforementioned bypass. It used to continue to Burley-in-Wharfedale, however, along an alignment now numbered as the A660.

Original Author(s): Andie (Coasterjunkie)