A140 road
Encyclopedia
The A140 is an 'A-class' road
in Norfolk
and Suffolk
, East Anglia
, England
partly following the route of the Roman Pye Road
. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market
to the A149
south of Cromer
. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles (90 km) in length. There are 33 road junctions, and many driveway accesses to private dwellinghouses, and the route is crossed by 37 footpaths and bridleways and 3 designated cycle routes.
from junction 51 with the A14; it then travels north to its junction with the A1120
. It then continues to the Suffolk countryside providing access to the villages of Little Stonham
, Mendlesham
and Mendlesham Green. It passes through Brockford Street (where it crosses the River Dove
), Thwaite
, Stoke Ash
, Thornham Parva
, Yaxley
and Brome
where it meets its junction with the B1077. 1 miles (1.6 km) later it reaches a roundabout
with the A143
- where it enters Norfolk and becomes dual carriageway - and a second in Scole
links it with the A1066
. This section of road bypasses Diss
.
after which it meets a roundabout in Dickleburgh
marking the end of the dual carriageway. It continues north to a junction with the B1134, a few miles later it enters Long Stratton
, Stratton Saint Michael, Upper Tasburgh, Saxlingham Thorpe and Swainsthorpe
. Shortly after it crosses the A47
and River Yare
. South of Norwich it turns left making up the west portion of the outer ring road. In the ring road it has junctions with the A11, B1108
, A1074, A1067
and other unnumbered roads.
and the Norwich airport park and ride
before reaching the roundabout with the B1149 which is adjacent to Manor Park, home of the Norfolk County Cricket Club
. It heads north close to Horsham St Faith and then Newton St Faith
. The road passes through mixed woodland
close to the villages of Hainford
, Stratton Strawless
, Hevingham
and Marsham
. Before reaching the roundabout on the southern outskirts of Aylsham
where it turns east to join the Aylsham by-pass and then pass the B1354 before crossing the River Bure
and the junction of the B1145
close to Banningham
. From here it heads in a northerly direction close to the villages of Erpingham
and Alby with Thwaite
, passing through Roughton
where it meets the B1436 and then merging with the A149 road
which ran from Camulodunum
(Colchester
) to Venta Icenorum
(near Norwich
).
The southern section from the junction with the A14 to Scole
once formed part of Suffolk's first turnpike trust in which ran from Ipswich to Scole (and also from Claydon to Stowmarket
and Haughley
). The trust was either established in 1741 (or in 1711). A turnpike trust was established from Scole Bridge to Norwich by act of parliament much later in 1826. Most turnpikes in Suffolk were removed in the 1870s. The 1826 Act was not however officially repealed until 2008 by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2008
.
In 1986 the government's Roads for Prosperity
White Paper
proposed the dualling of the entire Suffolk stretch of the A140 from its junction with the A14 (then the A45) and Scole
. This proposal was never pursued.
Between 1997 to 2003 (78 months) there were 9 fatalities, 36 serious and 147 slight injuries on the road and as a result in 2004 a temporary 50 mph speed limit was introduced on the Suffolk section and permanent 30 mph through the villages of Earl Stonham
and Brockford
and 40 mph through Brome
. The 30 mph zones had 40 mph 'buffers' either side. Between 2006 and 2008 Suffolk County Council removed a number of 40 mph buffers to "improve compliance and understanding" and extended some 30 mph zones slightly at the same time.
. In 2002 Norfolk County Council held a public consultation which resulted in a preferred route being selected in 2003, which bypassed to the east of the village. A planning application for the scheme was submitted in 2004 and the application was approved in February 2005. However, changes in the way road schemes are funded meant that no central government funding was approved. Since then Norfolk County Council has been unable to secure further funding for the scheme.
is proposed to start at the A140 north of Norwich
near to Norwich International Airport
and head east linking to the A47 road
to the east of the city. It was given 'Program Entry' status by the government in December 2009.
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
and Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, East Anglia
East Anglia
East Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
partly following the route of the Roman Pye Road
Pye Road
Pye Road is a Roman road running from Camulodunum to Venta Icenorum -Route:The road runs from Camulodunum to Venta Icenorum partly sharing a route with the A140 road.-References:...
. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market
Needham Market
Needham Market is a town in Suffolk, England. It initially grew around the wool combing industry, until the onset of the plague, which swept the town from 1663 to 1665. To prevent the spread of the disease, the town was chained at either end, which succeeded in its task but at the cost of...
to the A149
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
south of Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles (90 km) in length. There are 33 road junctions, and many driveway accesses to private dwellinghouses, and the route is crossed by 37 footpaths and bridleways and 3 designated cycle routes.
Ipswich to Diss
The road starts as dual carriagewayDual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
from junction 51 with the A14; it then travels north to its junction with the A1120
A1120 road
The A1120 is an 'A' road in the English county of Suffolk. It links Stowmarket to Yoxford passing through the centre of the county. It is 26 miles long.-Route:From west to east the road passes through the following settlements:* Stowmarket A14...
. It then continues to the Suffolk countryside providing access to the villages of Little Stonham
Little Stonham
Little Stonham, also known as Stonham Parva, is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located just off the A140, around three miles east of Stowmarket, in 2005 its population was 350....
, Mendlesham
Mendlesham
Mendlesham, Suffolk is a small village with 1328 inhabitants, north east of Stowmarket and from LondonMendlesham is known for its large street fair which is held on every May Day bank holiday. Mendlesham has a popular community newsletter, and a good primary school. There are two public houses in...
and Mendlesham Green. It passes through Brockford Street (where it crosses the River Dove
River Dove, Suffolk
The River Dove is a river in the county of Suffolk.-References:...
), Thwaite
Thwaite, Suffolk
Thwaite is a rural village in England.Thwaite is based on and around the A140 road, midway between Suffolk's county town of Ipswich and the city of Norwich, in Norfolk...
, Stoke Ash
Stoke Ash
Stoke Ash is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located around six miles south of Diss, in 2005 its population was 240. The village shares a parish council with neighbouring Thwaite.-External links:*...
, Thornham Parva
Thornham Parva
Thornham Parva is a village and civil parish in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located to the north of sister village Thornham Magna and around five miles south of Diss, in 2005 its population was 50....
, Yaxley
Yaxley, Suffolk
Yaxley is a small village just west of Eye in Suffolk, England. The name means 'cuckoo-clearing'.-Church of St. Mary:Pevsner said of the 12th Century Church that the north porch was 'one of the most swagger in Suffolk'. The church has the remnants of a large medieval doom painting . High up on the...
and Brome
Brome
Brome can refer to:*several species of grass, see Bromus*Brome, Suffolk*Brome, Germany, a municipality in Lower Saxony, Germany*Brome, Quebec, a village in Quebec, Canada* Brome, a former provincial electoral district in Quebec now part of Brome-Missisquoi...
where it meets its junction with the B1077. 1 miles (1.6 km) later it reaches a roundabout
Roundabout
A roundabout is the name for a road junction in which traffic moves in one direction around a central island. The word dates from the early 20th century. Roundabouts are common in many countries around the world...
with the A143
A143 road
The A143 is a road that runs from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk to Haverhill in Suffolk.For much of the route the road is classified as a primary route. Over the years the road has been much improved with new by-passes opening at regular intervals...
- where it enters Norfolk and becomes dual carriageway - and a second in Scole
Scole
Scole is a village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in England. It is 19 miles south of Norwich and lay on the old Roman road to Venta Icenorum, which was the main road until it was bypassed with a dual carriageway...
links it with the A1066
A1066 road
The A1066 is a road in Great Britain which is predominantly in Norfolk, though it briefly straddles the border with Suffolk. It joins the towns of Thetford and Diss and roads A134 and A140. It is a primary route in the zone number 1...
. This section of road bypasses Diss
Diss
Diss is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers . The mere is up to deep, although there is another of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes...
.
Diss to Norwich
The road passes through ThelvetonThelveton
Thelveton is a village in the English county of Norfolk.- History :The village of Thelveton was recorded in the Domesday book as Telvetun...
after which it meets a roundabout in Dickleburgh
Dickleburgh
Dickleburgh is a village in South Norfolk situated six miles north of the Suffolk border. It lies on the old Roman road to Caistor St. Edmund which was the main road until a bypass was built in the early 1990s...
marking the end of the dual carriageway. It continues north to a junction with the B1134, a few miles later it enters Long Stratton
Long Stratton
Long Stratton is a civil parish in South Norfolk, in the East of England, UK. It consists of two villages; the larger, Stratton St. Mary, is to the south, and the other, Stratton St. Michael, is to the north...
, Stratton Saint Michael, Upper Tasburgh, Saxlingham Thorpe and Swainsthorpe
Swainsthorpe
Swainsthorpe is a village in Norfolk, England. It lies about 5 miles south of Norwich. It covers an area of and had a population of 374 in 159 households as of the 2001 census.Its church, St Peter, is one of 124 existing round-tower churches in Norfolk....
. Shortly after it crosses the A47
A47 road
The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
and River Yare
River Yare
The River Yare is a river in the English county of Norfolk. In its lower reaches the river connects with the navigable waterways of The Broads....
. South of Norwich it turns left making up the west portion of the outer ring road. In the ring road it has junctions with the A11, B1108
B1108 road
B1108 road is a road running between the city of Norwich, England and the A1065 at Bodney. It passes through Barford, Hingham, and Watton.The section of the B1108 within Norwich is known as Earlham Road. The road crosses the Mid-Norfolk Railway on a wooden-gated level crossing at Kimberley, one...
, A1074, A1067
A1067 road
The A1067 is an English A road entirely in the county of Norfolk. It runs from Fakenham Northern By-Pass to Norwich inner ring road .-A47 to A1067 Link Road:...
and other unnumbered roads.
Norwich to Cromer
North of Norwich it passes Norwich AirportNorwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
and the Norwich airport park and ride
Norwich park and ride
Norwich park and ride is a park and ride bus service in the city of Norwich, East Anglia. The first of the park and rides was opened in the early 1990s at Norwich International Airport in Hellesdon, while the sixth site was opened in Thickthorn in 2005...
before reaching the roundabout with the B1149 which is adjacent to Manor Park, home of the Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club
Norfolk County Cricket Club is one of the county clubs which make up the Minor Counties in the English domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Norfolk and playing in the Minor Counties Championship and the MCCA Knockout Trophy...
. It heads north close to Horsham St Faith and then Newton St Faith
Horsham St Faith and Newton St Faith
Horsham St Faith and Newton St Faith is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, consisting of the former parishes of Horsham St Faith and Newton St Faith...
. The road passes through mixed woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
close to the villages of Hainford
Hainford
Hainford is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 951 in 365 households as of the 2001 census....
, Stratton Strawless
Stratton Strawless
Stratton Strawless is a village in the county of Norfolk and district of Broadland. The civil parish covers and has a population of 495. Located close and to the east of the A140 road and being south of the market town of Aylsham and some north of Norwich...
, Hevingham
Hevingham
Hevingham is a Norfolk village and civil parish situated between the A140 road Norwich to Cromer road and the B1149 road Norwich to Holt road. It is north from the city of Norwich and south from the market town of Aylsham....
and Marsham
Marsham
Marsham might refer to:People* Joan Marsham* Robert Marsham, founder of phenology* Thomas Marsham, English entomologist* Charles Marsham, 4th Earl of Romney...
. Before reaching the roundabout on the southern outskirts of Aylsham
Aylsham
Aylsham is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Bure in north Norfolk, England, about north of Norwich. The river rises near Melton Constable, upstream from Aylsham and continues to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea, although it was only made navigable after 1779, allowing grain,...
where it turns east to join the Aylsham by-pass and then pass the B1354 before crossing the River Bure
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in The Broads. The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of navigation. Nowadays, the head of navigation is downstream at Coltishall Bridge...
and the junction of the B1145
B1145 road
The B1145 runs for about through the county of Norfolk, England, between King’s Lynn and Mundesley. The road is an alternative route to the A47 between Kings Lynn and Norwich by way of the A1067 from Bawdeswell onwards.-History:...
close to Banningham
Banningham
Banningham is a village within the civil parish of Colby in the English county of Norfolk.The village is 2.9 miles north east of Aylsham, 14.7 miles west north of Norwich and 129 miles north east of London. The nearest railway station is at North Walsham Railway station where the Bittern Line from...
. From here it heads in a northerly direction close to the villages of Erpingham
Erpingham
Erpingham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 541 in 210 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk....
and Alby with Thwaite
Alby with Thwaite
Alby with Thwaite is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The parish straddles the A140 some 10 km south of Cromer and 30 km north of Norwich, including the settlements of Alby and Thwaite....
, passing through Roughton
Roughton, Norfolk
Roughton is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is south of Cromer, north of Norwich and north-west of North Walsham. The village straddles the A140 between Cromer and Norwich and the B1463. The nearest railway station is at Roughton Road for the Bittern...
where it meets the B1436 and then merging with the A149 road
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
History
The A140 formed part of a Roman road, known later as Pye RoadPye Road
Pye Road is a Roman road running from Camulodunum to Venta Icenorum -Route:The road runs from Camulodunum to Venta Icenorum partly sharing a route with the A140 road.-References:...
which ran from Camulodunum
Camulodunum
Camulodunum is the Roman name for the ancient settlement which is today's Colchester, a town in Essex, England. Camulodunum is claimed to be the oldest town in Britain as recorded by the Romans, existing as a Celtic settlement before the Roman conquest, when it became the first Roman town, and...
(Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
) to Venta Icenorum
Venta Icenorum
Venta Icenorum, probably meaning "Market Town of the Iceni", located at modern-day Caistor St Edmund in the English county of Norfolk, was the civitas or capital of the Iceni tribe, who inhabited the flatlands and marshes of that county and earned immortality for their revolt against Roman rule...
(near Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
).
The southern section from the junction with the A14 to Scole
Scole
Scole is a village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in England. It is 19 miles south of Norwich and lay on the old Roman road to Venta Icenorum, which was the main road until it was bypassed with a dual carriageway...
once formed part of Suffolk's first turnpike trust in which ran from Ipswich to Scole (and also from Claydon to Stowmarket
Stowmarket
-See also:* Stowmarket Town F.C.* Stowmarket High School-External links:* * * * *...
and Haughley
Haughley
Haughley is a village in the English county of Suffolk.-External links:*...
). The trust was either established in 1741 (or in 1711). A turnpike trust was established from Scole Bridge to Norwich by act of parliament much later in 1826. Most turnpikes in Suffolk were removed in the 1870s. The 1826 Act was not however officially repealed until 2008 by the Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2008
Statute Law (Repeals) Act 2008
The Statute Law Act 2008 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which repealed more than 250 Acts of Parliament in full, and more than 50 in part....
.
In 1986 the government's Roads for Prosperity
Roads for Prosperity
Roads for Prosperity was a controversial white paper published by the Conservative UK Government in 1989 detailing the 'largest road building program for the UK since the Romans' produced in response to rapid increases in car ownership and use over the previous decade...
White Paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
proposed the dualling of the entire Suffolk stretch of the A140 from its junction with the A14 (then the A45) and Scole
Scole
Scole is a village on the Norfolk/Suffolk border in England. It is 19 miles south of Norwich and lay on the old Roman road to Venta Icenorum, which was the main road until it was bypassed with a dual carriageway...
. This proposal was never pursued.
Between 1997 to 2003 (78 months) there were 9 fatalities, 36 serious and 147 slight injuries on the road and as a result in 2004 a temporary 50 mph speed limit was introduced on the Suffolk section and permanent 30 mph through the villages of Earl Stonham
Earl Stonham
Earl Stonham is a small village in the Mid Suffolk district of Suffolk, England. Located five miles east of Stowmarket, it is part of the Stonham Earl civil parish. The village is one of three Stonhams in the area – the other two are Stonham Aspal and Little Stonham.-History:Dating back to...
and Brockford
Brockford
Brockford is a small village in Suffolk, England, UK. It once had a railway station on the Mid-Suffolk Light Railway called: Brockford and Wetheringsett railway station. This station is now in the new site of the museum....
and 40 mph through Brome
Brome, Suffolk
Brome is a small village in Suffolk, England.Its church, St Mary, is one of 38 existing round-tower churches in Suffolk.-External links:*, a round-tower church...
. The 30 mph zones had 40 mph 'buffers' either side. Between 2006 and 2008 Suffolk County Council removed a number of 40 mph buffers to "improve compliance and understanding" and extended some 30 mph zones slightly at the same time.
Long Stratton bypass
A long standing development proposal for the A140 is a bypass for the village of Long StrattonLong Stratton
Long Stratton is a civil parish in South Norfolk, in the East of England, UK. It consists of two villages; the larger, Stratton St. Mary, is to the south, and the other, Stratton St. Michael, is to the north...
. In 2002 Norfolk County Council held a public consultation which resulted in a preferred route being selected in 2003, which bypassed to the east of the village. A planning application for the scheme was submitted in 2004 and the application was approved in February 2005. However, changes in the way road schemes are funded meant that no central government funding was approved. Since then Norfolk County Council has been unable to secure further funding for the scheme.
Norwich Northern Distributor Road
The Norwich Northern Distributor RoadNorwich Northern Distributor Road
The Norwich Northern Distributor Road is a proposed 8.7 mile dual-carriageway linking the A47 to the south east of the city to the proposed Rackheath Eco-town and to Norwich International Airport to the north of Norwich...
is proposed to start at the A140 north of Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
near to Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
and head east linking to the A47 road
A47 road
The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
to the east of the city. It was given 'Program Entry' status by the government in December 2009.