A7 road (Great Britain)
The A7 is a major road, partly a trunk road in the United Kingdom, that connects Edinburgh in Central Scotland to Carlisle in North West England. The A7 meets the M6 motorway close to Carlisle, which runs south to the north west, Midlands and south of England. However, the A702 road, which runs further to the north east, and the A74 (M) south, provide a quicker alternative and serve as the main link between Edinburgh and the M6.
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| Route information | |
| Length | 92 mi (148 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Edinburgh 55.9532°N 3.1891°W |
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| South end | Carlisle 54.8954°N 2.9311°W |
| Location | |
| Primary destinations | Edinburgh, Galashiels, Hawick, Carlisle |
| Road network | |
Present route
Edinburgh
The northern terminus of the A7 is the junction at North Bridge with Princes Street in Edinburgh, also the northern terminus of the A1 and the southern terminus of the A900. The A7 is a major road through the city's south-eastern suburbs. This part of the A7 was the former route of the A68 road (the old A7 used to be what is now the A701/A772 at Gilmerton).
The road passes Cameron Toll, before meeting the Edinburgh City Bypass at the major Sheriffhall Roundabout. South of the city bypass the A7 continues through Midlothian past a series of small towns and villages; Newtongrange, Gorebridge and Middleton Moor.
The Scottish Borders
Continuing from Midlothian into Scottish Borders the road bypasses the villages of Heriot and Fountainhall then through Stow to reach Galashiels .
The A7 becomes a trunk road at the junction on the A6091(A68) roundabout on the southern boundary of Galashiels continuing south to Selkirk. Between Selkirk and Hawick the road has been considerably improved, allowing for overtaking. In Hawick it continues along the north bank of the River Teviot to cross the river at the Albert Bridge and follows the south bank of the river towards Langholm, Dumfries and Galloway then bypassing Canonbie.
Entering England
Continuing past the English border, the A7 goes through the small town of Longtown, before meeting the A689 and the M6 at the Greymoorhill Roundabout, which is also junction 44 of the M6, the second last junction before the motorway joins the A74(M) just before the Scottish border.
Beyond Greymoorhill roundabout, the A7 becomes a brief dual carriageway, close to the Kingstown Industrial Estate on the northern fringe of Carlisle. Continuing as a busy single carriageway road, the A7 goes past several main supermarkets, and crosses the River Eden over Eden Bridge.
At Hardwicke Circus Roundabout, a large junction in the centre of Carlisle, the A7 meets the A595 to the west and southern Cumbria and then continues to form part of Carlisle's one way system through the city centre, meeting the A69 and finally becoming the A6 near Carlisle railway station.
See also
- British road numbering scheme