The A417 is a main road in

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

running from

Streatley, Berkshire Streatley is a village and civil parish on the River Thames in Berkshire, England. The village faces Goring-on-Thames. The two places share in their shops, services, leisure, sports and much of their transport. Across the river is railway stat ...

Hope under Dinmore Hope under Dinmore is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. The village is on the A49 road, south of Leominster and north of Hereford, and on the Welsh Marches railway line. The railway passes under Dinmore Hill through the sp ...

, Herefordshire. It is best known for its section between Cirencester and Gloucester where it has primary status and forms part of the link between the major settlements of Swindon and Gloucester.

History

When the A417 was first designated in 1922, it ran only from Streatley to Cirencester. In 1935 it was extended to Gloucester, on the former route of the

A419 The A419 road is a primary route between Chiseldon near Swindon at junction 15 of the M4 with the A346 road, and Whitminster in Gloucestershire, England near the M5 motorway. The A419 is managed and maintained by a private company, Road Manag ...

, and on to Ledbury and Hope under Dinmore. There have been numerous upgrades and bypasses, particularly on the primary section. At Faringdon, its traditional route over Folly Hill and down through the market place has been blocked by the more recent development of the A420 and has been diverted to the south. The Birdlip bypass, opened in 1988, avoided a very steep (16%) gradient as the road descended the

Cotswold Edge The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of Juras ...

escarpment to Brockworth.

Route

Streatley to Gloucester (M5)

The road runs north-west from Streatley at its junction with the A329 (between

Reading Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...

and Wallingford) then turns west to

Wantage Wantage () is a historic market town and civil parish in Oxfordshire, England. Although within the boundaries of the historic county of Berkshire, it has been administered as part of the Vale of White Horse district of Oxfordshire since 1974. T ...

, over the picturesque

Berkshire Downs The Berkshire Downs are a range of chalk downland hills in South east England split between the counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire. They are part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The western parts of the downs ...

. In Wantage, it negotiates the market place (around

King Alfred Alfred the Great (alt. Ælfred 848/849 – 26 October 899) was King of the West Saxons from 871 to 886, and King of the Anglo-Saxons from 886 until his death in 899. He was the youngest son of King Æthelwulf and his first wife Osburh, who bot ...

's statue). Soon after leaving Wantage it passes through

East Challow East Challow is a village and Civil parishes in England, civil parish about west of Wantage in the Vale of White Horse, England. Historically it was part of the ecclesiastical parish of Letcombe Regis, but since 1852 East and West Challow have ...

village and runs north-west to

Faringdon Faringdon is a historic market town in the Vale of White Horse, Oxfordshire, England, south-west of Oxford, north-west of Wantage and east-north-east of Swindon. It extends to the River Thames in the north; the highest ground is on the Rid ...

, via

Stanford in the Vale Stanford in the Vale is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse about southeast of Faringdon and northwest of Wantage. It is part of the historic county of Berkshire, however since 1974, it has been administered as a part of Oxfo ...

. It leads on to

Lechlade Lechlade () is a town at the southern edge of the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England, south of Birmingham and west of London. It is the highest point at which the River Thames is navigable, although there is a right of navigation that contin ...

, where it crosses the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, se ...

at St. John's Bridge. It then runs past the

Cotswold Water Park The Cotswold Water Park is the United Kingdom's largest marl lake system, straddling the Wiltshire–Gloucestershire border, northwest of Cricklade and south of Cirencester. There are 180 lakes, spread over . The park is a mix of nature co ...

, through the bottleneck of

Fairford Fairford is a town in Gloucestershire, England. The town lies in the Cotswold hills on the River Coln, east of Cirencester, west of Lechlade and north of Swindon. Nearby are RAF Fairford and the Cotswold Water Park. History Evidence of ...

Cirencester Cirencester (, ; see below for more variations) is a market town in Gloucestershire, England, west of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswolds. It is the home of ...

and thence to

Gloucester Gloucester ( ) is a cathedral city and the county town of Gloucestershire in the South West of England. Gloucester lies on the River Severn, between the Cotswolds to the east and the Forest of Dean to the west, east of Monmouth and east ...

. From the start of the Cirencester bypass to Gloucester, the A417 forms part of a major new dual-carriageway route (

/A417) connecting the M4 (junction 15) with the M5 at Gloucester (junction 11A). At the A429 roundabout on the older Cirencester bypass, the A417 follows the A429 north for , then resumes when it joins the newer bypass (which is also the A417). The Cirencester & Stratton Bypass opened on 9 December 1997. This route carries traffic between the ports of the south coast and the industrial Midlands. The dual-carriageway north of Stratton to Nettleton Improvement opened on 16 January 1998. The roundabout at the end of this section often has congestion during peak hours. The £2.4m single-carriageway

Birdlip Birdlip is a village in Gloucestershire, England, in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty south of Cheltenham and south east of Gloucester. History Some fine pre-Roman bronze art, including the famous Birdlip Mirror, from aroun ...

bypass opened in December 1988. This point, before the ''Air Balloon'' roundabout, has a grand vista of the

Severn , name_etymology = , image = SevernFromCastleCB.JPG , image_size = 288 , image_caption = The river seen from Shrewsbury Castle , map = RiverSevernMap.jpg , map_size = 288 , map_c ...

Valley. After the roundabout and the Air Balloon pub, the road turns sharply and there is a steep gradient. This is a

bottleneck Bottleneck literally refers to the narrowed portion (neck) of a bottle near its opening, which limit the rate of outflow, and may describe any object of a similar shape. The literal neck of a bottle was originally used to play what is now known as ...

at peak times, and there ar
plans
for a dual-carriageway section here. These plans were listed within a roads expansion programme pledged during the government's 2014 Autumn Statement for delivery during the coming 5–8 years. The £36m Brockworth Bypass opened in December 1995, and included the new junction 11a of the M5.

Gloucester (M5) to Hope under Dinmore

Through

, the road overlaps the A40 Gloucester northern bypass, and from the end of this bypass at a roundabout the road goes north-west through the village of

Maisemore Maisemore is a village and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It lies on the A417 road 2.5 miles (4 km) northwest of Gloucester, on the west bank of the River Severn. In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 488, reducing ...

, past

Hartpury College Hartpury University and Hartpury College, formerly Hartpury College, is a provider of further and higher education which describes itself as specialising in the "agriculture, animal, equine, sport and veterinary nursing" sectors. The university a ...

, then through the village of

Hartpury Hartpury is a civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It has an area of about , about 270 homes and a population of about 700 people, increasing to 1,642 at the 2011 census. The village is about north of Gloucester. Geographically the parish ...

. The A417 then passes through the twin villages of

Corse Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and ...

and Staunton. It crosses the M50 Ross Spur motorway at junction 2, then meets the Ledbury bypass, where the road noticeably widens out, and has many large roundabouts. Between Gloucester and Ledbury there are many changes of

speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed - expres ...

. From Ledbury it goes west, overlapping the A438, then at a set of traffic lights known as the

Trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

crossroads, the A417 goes north-west along a more high-hedged, narrow road. It meets the A49 at a wide junction at

just south of

Leominster Leominster ( ) is a market town in Herefordshire, England, at the confluence of the River Lugg and its tributary the River Kenwater. The town is north of Hereford and south of Ludlow in Shropshire. With a population of 11,700, Leominster is t ...

Junctions

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Ross Ross or ROSS may refer to: People * Clan Ross, a Highland Scottish clan * Ross (name), including a list of people with the surname or given name Ross, as well as the meaning * Earl of Ross, a peerage of Scotland Places * RoSS, the Republic of Sou ...

A40, Ledbury (A417),

Chepstow Chepstow ( cy, Cas-gwent) is a town and community in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the tidal River Wye, about above its confluence with the River Severn, and adjoining the wester ...

( A48)

Cheltenham Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...

A40,

Tewkesbury Tewkesbury ( ) is a medieval market town and civil parish in the north of Gloucestershire, England. The town has significant history in the Wars of the Roses and grew since the building of Tewkesbury Abbey. It stands at the confluence of the Ri ...

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

( M5) , Elm Bridge Court , ''Start of A417 (T)'' , -align="center" ,

( A38) , Corinium Avenue Roundabout , Gloucester (A38) , -align="center" , Local routes , Zoons Court Roundabout , Local routes , - align="center" ,

The Midlands The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the Ind ...

M5 , rowspan="2", M5 J11A , ''No exit or access'' , - align="center" , The South West

(M5), Gloucester Business Park
''Exit only'' , The SOUTH WEST Bristol (M5) , -align="center" ,

Stroud Stroud is a market town and civil parish in Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District. The town's population was 13,500 in 2021. Below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills, at the meeting point of the Five ...

A46 , Primrose Vale , Cheltenham, Stroud A46 , - align="center" , Stow on the Wold A436,

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

( A40), Cheltenham (East) (

A435 List of A roads in zone 4 in Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European isla ...

) , Air Balloon Roundabout , Stow on the Wold A436, Oxford (A40) , - align="center" , Cowley, Caudle Green,

Brimpsfield Brimpsfield is a village in Gloucestershire, England. The village is recorded in Domesday Book as ''Brimesfelde''. Brimpsfield Castle was built in the village during the Norman period. The manor of Brimpsfield was granted to Maurice de Berkele ...

, Cowley Roundabout , Cowley, Caudle Green, Brimpsfield , -align="center" , Syde,

Winstone Winstone is a village and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. The population taken at the 2011 census was 270. Winstone forms part of the Cotswold District. The Anglican Church of St Bartholomew was built in the 11th cent ...

Elkstone Elkstone is a village and civil parish in the English county of Gloucestershire. In the 2001 United Kingdom census, the parish had a population of 203, increasing to 248 at the 2011 census Approximately south of its post town, Cheltenham, an ...

, Winstone Junction , Syde, Winstone, Elkstone , -align="center" ,

Daglingworth Daglingworth is a Gloucestershire village in the valley of the River Dunt, near the A417 road connecting Gloucester and Cirencester. As with many smaller villages in the Cotswolds, most of the buildings are now private houses. Other properties a ...

Bagendon Bagendon is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, about four miles north of Cirencester. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 265,decreasing to 239 at the 2011 census. St Margaret's Chu ...

, Perrott's Brook , Daglingworth Junction , Stratton, Daglingworth, Bagendon, Perrott's Brook , -align="center" ,

Stow Stow may refer to: Places United Kingdom * Stow, Lincolnshire or Stow-in-Lindsey, a village * Stow of Wedale or Stow, Scottish Borders, a village * Stow-on-the-Wold, Gloucestershire, a small town * Stow, Shropshire or Stowe, a village * Stow ...

A429,

Burford Burford () is a town on the River Windrush, in the Cotswolds, Cotswold hills, in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire, England. It is often referred to as the 'gateway' to the Cotswolds. Burford is located west of Oxford and southeas ...

(B4425) , Cirencester North Interchange , Cirencester, Stow A429, Lechdale (A417) , - align="center" , ''Start of A417 (T)'' , rowspan="2", Cirencester South Interchange , ''Access only'' , - align="center" , Cirencester Industrial Area,

''Exit only'' , ''Road becomes A419 (T) to

Swindon Swindon () is a town and unitary authority with Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough status in Wiltshire, England. As of the 2021 Census, the population of Swindon was 201,669, making it the largest town in the county. The Swindon un ...

References