A17 road

The A17 is a single-carriageway road crossing flat fenland in southern Lincolnshire and western Norfolk. It links Newark-on-Trent in Nottinghamshire to King’s Lynn in Norfolk, running for 62 miles across open landscapes. The road carries heavy goods vehicles and holiday traffic to East Anglian seaside resorts. Its most famous landmark is the Cross Keys Bridge at Sutton Bridge, which spans the River Nene near three county borders. The route is known for numerous roundabouts and staggered junctions, making it notorious for drivers. The A17 is one of only two direct routes connecting Norfolk with the A1, making it vital for holidaymakers heading to Hunstanton, Wells-next-the-Sea and Cromer. It has very short stretches of dual carriageway, the longest being the Sleaford bypass at 3 miles. The road was once a trunk route but became a principal road in 2002. Its history includes a 1961 bridge demolition in Newark that injured construction workers. The route follows parts of the old Ermine Street and Viking Way in places. A drive along the A17 passes RAF Cranwell and the Lincoln Cliff near Leadenham. The Sleaford bypass offers the only long dual-carriageway section, useful for overtaking slow lorries and caravans. Near Heckington, the road crosses the Car Dyke, an ancient waterway. At Fosdyke, it crosses the River Welland on a fixed bridge built in 1989. The route skirts villages like Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge, with bypasses opening in the 1980s and 1990s.