A426 road
This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(September 2014) |
A426 | |
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![]() The A426 in Lutterworh | |
Route information | |
Length | 29 mi (47 km) |
Major junctions | |
North end | Leicester |
![]() ![]() ![]() A5 ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
South end | Southam |
Location | |
Country | United Kingdom |
Primary destinations | Leicester,Rugby |
Road network | |
TheA426 roadis a road inEnglandwhich runs from the city ofLeicesterto the market town ofSouthaminWarwickshirevia the towns ofLutterworthandRugby.
History[edit]
This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(November 2018) |
Until theM1 motorwaywas completed in the 1960s this route formed the main route between Rugby and Leicester, now much quieter as all but local traffic uses the motorway. However, the local traffic has increased asMagna Park,a prominent East Midlands warehouse facility, has developed close to Lutterworth.Broughton Astley,a couple of miles north-west ofDunton Bassettand other local villages can often become congested with goods vehicles en route between Magna Park, theM1 motorwayand theM6 Motorway.At rush hours the road can become gridlocked and reduced to less than 40 mph, particularly as agricultural traffic frequently uses the stretch. For this reason, journeys between Blaby and Rugby during rush hour can take much longer than anticipated.
The A426 crosses the route of the formerA45inDunchurch,this would have formed one of the main routes between the Midlands and South East. Dunchurch is now bypassed to the South by theM45 motorway,and the A426 no longer meets the A45
Route[edit]
The A426 starts on theLeicesterInner Ring Road, heading South through the suburbs of the city, crossing the Outer Ring Road and bypassing the village ofBlaby.It crosses over theM1which it runs parallel to for the next 10 miles (16 km) or so. The road becomes rural in nature until entering the small town ofLutterworthand crossing the A4303 Southern Bypass. A further 2 miles (3.2 km) south and it crosses theA5Watling Streetat a roundabout and eventually theM6junction 1. It starts a descent intoRugbyas a dual carriageway with 5 local access roundabouts. Approaching the Town Centre the road becomes single carriageway again and crosses under theWest Coast Main Line.It passes the main Town Centre to the West and heads Southwards out of the town towardsDunchurchafter which it passes over theM45and once again becomes a rural road for its final length to terminate on theA423Southambypass.
Former routes[edit]
The A426, compared to other routes is a relatively untouched road, with only a single bypass:
- The road used to travel through the village ofBlaby,now bypassed
Bus corridor[edit]
A controversial decision to allow a bus corridor to be constructed on the A426 fromBlabyintoLeicesterwas given the go ahead despite heavy local opposition.[1]
References[edit]
- ^"A426 bus lanes plan is given the go-ahead | This is Leicestershire".Archived fromthe originalon 16 July 2013.Retrieved14 June2013.