Handy Cross roundabout
Encyclopedia
Handy Cross roundabout is a major road interchange near High Wycombe
, Buckinghamshire
in south-east
England
. Its name is derived from the neighbouring hamlet of Handy Cross
. It is the principal motorway junction for High Wycombe and the junction between the M40 motorway
and the A404
dual-carriageway. It is also the terminus of the A4010
which runs to Aylesbury
.
, the A404 into central High Wycombe and a minor residential street. The first alteration came in 1972 with the construction of the Marlow bypass (as the A404- the old A404 was downgraded to un-classified). Further urbanisation to the west of the roundabout led to another exit for the roundabout to Cressex and on through Wycombe to the A40
-the new road was given the A4010
road number.
In 2006, the Highways Agency
constructed several improvements to the roundabout including a cut-through, bypassing the three northern exits and a new slip road from the A404 to the M40 westbound.
has primary status. The northern part goes on into High Wycombe town centre as a non-primary A-road. The only other classified road to meet the roundabout is the A4010 which leads on through the suburb of Cressex and on to Aylesbury
. The other two roads are unclassified, one being the original road to Marlow and the other for access to residential areas of High Wycombe.
with the M40 uninterrupted. The motorway is on a north-east to south-west gradient between Stokenchurch
and Loudwater. The roundabout is oval shaped, with the motorway off-centre. The northern half of the roundabout is bisected by a cross link which bypasses the A4010, the minor road to Wycombe and the A404 north, allowing easier interchange from the M40 London-bound to the A404 south. To the south-west of the roundabout, a slip-road allows traffic on the A404 northbound to reach the M40 towards Oxford uninterrupted, it passes beneath the road to Marlow Bottom
in-between.
High Wycombe
High Wycombe , commonly known as Wycombe and formally called Chepping Wycombe or Chipping Wycombe until 1946,is a large town in Buckinghamshire, England. It is west-north-west of Charing Cross in London; this figure is engraved on the Corn Market building in the centre of the town...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
in south-east
South East England
South East England is one of the nine official regions of England, designated in 1994 and adopted for statistical purposes in 1999. It consists of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex...
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...
. Its name is derived from the neighbouring hamlet of Handy Cross
Handy Cross
Handy Cross is the name of a hamlet in the parish of Little Marlow, Buckinghamshire. It is located on Marlow Hill, on the old road between Marlow and High Wycombe...
. It is the principal motorway junction for High Wycombe and the junction between the M40 motorway
M40 motorway
The M40 motorway is a motorway in the British transport network that forms a major part of the connection between London and Birmingham. Part of this road forms a section of the unsigned European route E05...
and the A404
A404 road
The A404 is a road in the United Kingdom that starts at Paddington in London and leads to Maidenhead in Berkshire.The road initially follows a course through London and its suburbs including Harlesden, Wembley, Harrow Pinner, and Rickmansworth...
dual-carriageway. It is also the terminus of the A4010
A4010 road
The A4010 is an important primary north-south road in Buckinghamshire, Southern England. It runs from High Wycombe at Junction 4 of the M40 motorway to Stoke Mandeville, near Aylesbury on the A413.-High Wycombe:...
which runs to Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
.
History
The first section of the M40 to open was the section between junctions 4 and 5 in 1967, construction starting in 1964. The 1967 finished roundabout allowed interchange between the M40, the A404 to MarlowMarlow, Buckinghamshire
Marlow is a town and civil parish within Wycombe district in south Buckinghamshire, England...
, the A404 into central High Wycombe and a minor residential street. The first alteration came in 1972 with the construction of the Marlow bypass (as the A404- the old A404 was downgraded to un-classified). Further urbanisation to the west of the roundabout led to another exit for the roundabout to Cressex and on through Wycombe to the A40
A40 road
The A40 is a major trunk road connecting London to Fishguard, Wales and officially called The London to Fishguard Trunk Road in all legal documents and Acts...
-the new road was given the A4010
A4010 road
The A4010 is an important primary north-south road in Buckinghamshire, Southern England. It runs from High Wycombe at Junction 4 of the M40 motorway to Stoke Mandeville, near Aylesbury on the A413.-High Wycombe:...
road number.
In 2006, the Highways Agency
Highways Agency
The Highways Agency is an executive agency, part of the Department for Transport in England. It has responsibility for managing the core road network in England...
constructed several improvements to the roundabout including a cut-through, bypassing the three northern exits and a new slip road from the A404 to the M40 westbound.
Roads served
The M40 meets the roundabout numbered as junction 4, temporarily dropping to dual two lane through the junction. The A404 road is dual-carriageway on both sides of the junction, although only the section south into BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
has primary status. The northern part goes on into High Wycombe town centre as a non-primary A-road. The only other classified road to meet the roundabout is the A4010 which leads on through the suburb of Cressex and on to Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
. The other two roads are unclassified, one being the original road to Marlow and the other for access to residential areas of High Wycombe.
Layout
The junction is a roundabout interchangeRoundabout interchange
A roundabout interchange is a type of interchange between a controlled access highway such as a motorway or freeway, and a minor road, in which the slip roads to and from the motorway carriageways converge at a single roundabout, which is grade-separated from the motorway lanes with bridges...
with the M40 uninterrupted. The motorway is on a north-east to south-west gradient between Stokenchurch
Stokenchurch
Stokenchurch is a village and civil parish within Wycombe district in Buckinghamshire England. It is in the Chiltern Hills, about south of Chinnor in Oxfordshire and west of High Wycombe. The village is a popular place to live, due to its rural location and ease of access to London and Birmingham...
and Loudwater. The roundabout is oval shaped, with the motorway off-centre. The northern half of the roundabout is bisected by a cross link which bypasses the A4010, the minor road to Wycombe and the A404 north, allowing easier interchange from the M40 London-bound to the A404 south. To the south-west of the roundabout, a slip-road allows traffic on the A404 northbound to reach the M40 towards Oxford uninterrupted, it passes beneath the road to Marlow Bottom
Marlow Bottom
Marlow Bottom is a large linear village occupying a valley to the north of Marlow, Buckinghamshire. It is also a civil parish in Wycombe district having been created in November 2007. Formerly it was part of the parish of Great Marlow....
in-between.