Talk:A14 road

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[edit] Crash frequency on the Cambridge-Huntingdon section

I removed this dubious statement (in bold):

The high number of crashes, deaths and injuries (there is at least one crash almost every week) on this section has led to it being nicknamed the 'Road to Hell' by the Cambridge Evening News...

According to the CHUMMS Report (which admittedly is a few years old):

Accidents were perceived by some, as a significant issue on the A14. Data was obtained from Cambridgeshire County Council of reported incidents between 1995 and 1999 and a summary of results by accident severity and vehicle category is provided in Appendix 3. Analysis showed that the overall number of accidents is not significantly different to other similar A roads, but there was a higher incidence of "slight" accidents – often minor shunts, reflecting the congested traffic situation. This does not detract from some isolated serious accidents on the A14 in recent years. (Full links available here, but Appendix 3 appears not to be available.)

I've left in a reference to the "numerous accidents" on this section, which is at any rate less controversial, but it would help if up-to-date accident statistics could be found for this section, especially if they could be compared to national averages. The Highways Agency has a safety report for the Cambridge-Suffolk section of the A14 on their website [1], but unfortunately it doesn't include Cambridge-Huntingdon. Blisco 13:07, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

I was considering asking the Highways Agency for accident and traffic flow statistics for the road to get some definitive (and up to date) answers on the road's safety -- this would also be useful for citing where there are articles about notable sections of the road, such as the Orwell Bridge. -- Ratarsed 08:32, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Inconsistant numbering

I've always wondered if it was inconsistant --- after all, the end closest to London is Felixstowe, in Zone 1 -- I'd suggest it's the Junction numbering that is inconsistant, instead?

As this is purely my interpretation, I've kept this to the talk page for now -- Ratarsed 08:19, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

Roads are supposed to be numbered according to the furthest zone anticlockwise, not the closest to London. However, that would mean that it starts in the 5 zone (just to the right of the A5), not the 4 zone as the article currently states, so I'll change it. As for the junction numbering, the Felixstowe end might technically be closer to London but it couldn't in any sense be considered to radiate from the capital, so the numbering just begins from the more logical start (i.e. the Midlands). It could be the only road in England where the numbering doesn't start from the end nearer to London, but I think that's just coincidence. --Blisco 08:56, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

I've seen that it is the furthest anticlockwise stated before, but all the exceptions I've seen, it's been the zone in which the end closest to the radial is in that has given the number (or it's an orphaned section of a similarly numbered road).

I agree that it would be shortsighted to say the A14 runs away from London, but I think it's fair to say that it is a route towards Birmingham (or away, but as Birmingham has no radials, that'd be inconsistant, too) from the Port of Felixstowe.

If it really is out of zone, I'm surprised they didn't retain the A45 designation? -- Ratarsed 12:05, 28 July 2006 (UTC)

Just remember that the A14 is a route cobbled together from a mix of existing roads and new-build sections, rather than numbered that way at the outset of route numbering. The route ideally was going to have an important number and was going to have a single number for its entire length. The A45 was already in use as an important road between Birmingham and Northampton - as well as its eastern sections which became the A14. The rest of the current A14 route was taken up largely by an upgraded A604 (which now no longer exists), a new-build section west of Kettering, and a short section of what was then the then A14. With the arrival of the M11 motorway, the then A14 between Royston (A10/A505) and Alconbury (A1) was no longer a very important route - so the opportunity was taken to truncate the then A14 at Huntingdon - then extend it at either end to Catthorpe (M1/M6) and Felixstowe - the western extension taking it out of zone. So in short, the number is there to create a single route out of several shorter sections. It's an important route so the double-digit number is useful. It's a bit like the A42, which is entirely outside of its numbering zone, but is again an important sounding number for an important route. Richard B 06:20, 29 July 2006 (UTC)

As stated in the main article, the A14 existed as a road before the A45 was chopped up and joined with the A604. It was the road that is now the A1198 which runs from Huntingdon to Royston. The spur which continues up to the A1(M) is however either the A14(M), the A604(M) according to Pathetic Motorways
LewisR 16:52, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Junction numbers

Can anyone find any reliable (published) sources for all the junction numbers? The only reference I have found so far doesn't include junction 19A. I'd have thought the highways agency would have them, but I can't find them on the website... -- Ratarsed (talk) 21:44, 8 March 2008 (UTC)

I haven't been able to find anything online either - in fact, the only reference I have is the signposts themselves. The junction numbers are only relatively recent in the history of the A14, so wouldn't have been on the original plans, but I do vaguely remember a Highways Agency project being listed on their website a few years ago about the numbering scheme. Not too helpful I know! -- Nibblesthemouse (talk) 23:41, 8 May 2008 (UTC)