B4069
B4069 | ||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||
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From: | Lyneham (SU018793) | |||
To: | Chippenham (ST918738) | |||
Distance: | 9.2 miles (14.8 km) | |||
Meets: | A3102, B4122, A420, B4158 | |||
Former Number(s): | A420 | |||
Primary Destinations | ||||
Highway Authorities | ||||
Traditional Counties | ||||
Route outline (key) | ||||
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For the original B4069 across the Cotswolds, see B4069 (Cirencester - Stroud).
For the later B4069 slightly further south, see B4069 (Cam - Berkeley).
For the still later B4069 in Leicestershire, see B4069 (Hinckley-Sapcote).
The B4069 is a winding B-road in north Wiltshire. The road was part of the A420 for many years but gained its present number in the late 1980s.
The road starts at a roundabout on the A3102 on the northern edge of Lyneham. It heads northwest out of town before going over a ridge and then descending steeply into the valley of the River Avon. We go over the disused Wilts & Berks Canal and then the railway line from Swindon to Chippenham. Just as it appears we're going to reach the M4 the road bends round to the left and runs parallel to the motorway about half a mile from it.
We skirt the northern edge of Christian Malford then cross the Avon to go through Sutton Benger. Back in open country the road bends to the left on meeting the B4122 and now heads almost southwards. We pass the isolated St Peter's Church, Langley Burrell, and then skirt the western edge of that village. It's not long before we reach the outskirts of Chippenham. We enter town along Langley Road, cross a roundabout and end on a one-way loop on the A420.
Due to the road collapsing in April 2022, the B4069 is currently closed as a through route in the Lyneham area and is not expected to reopen until 2025.
History
Curiously, the DfT Card Index from c2002 suggests that the B4069 started at M4 J17, not Lyneham. So far, mapping evidence to support this idea has not been found, but it might still refer to an initial plan to route the B4069 that way, with the B4122 number used for the route to Lyneham.