| A505 road | |
|---|---|
| Route information | |
| Length: | 48 mi (77 km) |
| History: | Construction completed 1990s |
| Major junctions | |
| East end: | Leighton Buzzard |
| A4146 road A5 road M1 motorway A6 road A1(M) motorway A10 road M11 motorway A11 road |
|
| West end: | Sawston |
| Location | |
| Primary destinations: |
Dunstable, Luton |
| Road network | |
The A505 is an A-class road in the United Kingdom. It follows part of the route of the Icknield Way and the corresponding Icknield Way Path.
Contents |
The road begins as a wide single carriageway at a junction with the A4146 just south of Leighton Buzzard on the Billington Road. From there it runs east along the route of the former Leighton Buzzard to Luton railway through to a roundabout on the A5 just north of Dunstable. From here it follows the A5 south into the town centre before turning east again towards Luton. Entering the town across junction 11 of the M1 motorway the road passes through the town
The road leaves Luton as a dual carriageway until Hitchin, passing through the town and adjoining Letchworth, where as it leaves it becomes a dual carriageway again, crossing the A1(M) motorway to the east of the town at Junction 9, before continuing past Baldock to Royston, crossing the A10 on its north-eastern edge.
The road continues as single carriageway roughly north-easterly, crossing the M11 motorway at Junction 10 near Duxford where once again it becomes dual carriageway and on towards the A11 at Great Abington about 8 miles (13 km) south-east of Newmarket.
For part of its route between Leighton Buzzard and Dunstable it uses the former route of the Leighton Buzzard to Luton railway as far as Dunstable railway (The Leighton Buzzard bypass). It also shares its route with the A5 near Dunstable and the A1081 near Luton Airport (grid reference TL 110 206). The section between Letchworth and Royston follows the Icknield Way, with the deviations of modern bypasses at Baldock and Royston. The £43 million Baldock bypass includes the Weston Hills Tunnel.
Originally the route started in Dunstable and ended in Luton. The rest of the route was originally designated the A601 to the A11 , but was extended west to Wing Hill, near Linslade, when the Leighton Buzzard bypass was built. However, the western Leighton Buzzard bypass has since been built and designated the A4146. As a result the section from Billington Road to Wing Hill has also been designated the A4146.
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