View source for A69 road

{{Short description|Major trunk road in northern England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2013}}
{{Infobox road
| country = GBR
| type = A
| route = 69
| map = [[File:A69 road map.png|200px]]
| map_custom = yes
| length_mi = 54
| length_km = 87
| direction_a = East
| terminus_a = [[West Denton]]
| direction_b = West
| terminus_b = [[Carlisle]]
| junction = {{jct|country=GBR|A|1|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|6085|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|68|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|6079|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|686|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|6071|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|689|name1= }}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|M|6|dab1=Great Britain}}<br />{{jct|country=GBR|A|7|name1= }}
| destinations = <br />[[Hexham]]
| e-road = [[File:Tabliczka E18.svg|40px]]
| previous_type = A
| next_type = A
| previous_route = 68
| next_route = 70
| counties = {{ubl|[[Tyne and Wear]]|[[Northumberland]]|[[Cumbria]]}}
}}

The '''A69''' is a major northern trunk [[road]] in [[England]], running east–west across the [[Pennines]], through the counties of [[Tyne and Wear]], [[Northumberland]] and [[Cumbria]]. Originally, the road started in the centre of [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] then later near Birtley, but since the creation of the [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]] Western Bypass around Newcastle upon Tyne, it now starts at [[Denton Burn]], a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne.

The route from the A1 junction to [[Carlisle]] city centre is {{convert|54|mi}}.{{cn|date=September 2025}}

== Settlements on the route ==
* Denton Burn
* [[West Denton]]
* [[Throckley]]
* ([[Corbridge]])
* ([[Hexham]])
* ([[Haydon Bridge]])
* [[Bardon Mill]]
* [[Melkridge]]
* ([[Haltwhistle]])
* ([[Brampton, Carlisle|Brampton]])
* [[Warwick Bridge]]
* [[Warwick-on-Eden]]
* [[Botcherby]]
* [[Carlisle]]
Places with parentheses are indicative of historically being on the A69, but have now been bypassed

== Description of the route ==
The road runs westwards from the A1 at [[Denton Burn]] in [[Newcastle upon Tyne]] through the suburbs of [[Denton Burn]] and [[West Denton]] before a junction with the A6085 and the B6323. It continues west and passes over what was [[Hadrian's Wall]], which until now has been south of the road, at [[Milecastle 13]] on the wall. Hereafter the road is always south of the wall. The road carries on up the [[River Tyne|Tyne]] valley, [[Bypass route|bypassing]] the village of [[Corbridge]] and the market town [[Hexham]]. The A69 crosses the River Tyne west of Hexham ([[Constantius Bridge]]), re-crosses it west of the village of [[Haydon Bridge]], and yet again as it bypasses [[Haltwhistle]].

After crossing the border into Cumbria, the A69 by-passes the town of [[Brampton, Carlisle|Brampton]], before coming to a [[roundabout]] junction with the [[A689 road]]. The A69 turns left here and travels through the village of [[Warwick Bridge]], which is planned to be by-passed in the future. Following a short piece of [[dual carriageway]], the A69 comes to Junction 43 of the [[M6 motorway]], which skirts the eastern edge of [[Carlisle]].

The A69 into Carlisle has the name Warwick Road, and is known to be one of the most congested roads in the county. At Saint Aidan's church, the A69 turns right up Victoria Place, and meets the [[A7 road (Great Britain)|A7 road]] at a busy traffic-light controlled crossroads, where it terminates.

The road forms part of the unsigned [[International E-road network|Euroroute]] [[European route E18|E18]]. It is maintained by RoadLink.

'''Historical sections of road numbered A69'''

At its eastern end, the A69 historically ran from its current terminus with the A1 at Denton Burn eastward along Westgate Road (now the western end of the [[A186 road (England)|A186]]) in Newcastle upon Tyne, terminating at the junction between Westgate Road and Neville Street in central Newcastle near [[Newcastle railway station|Newcastle Central station]].

The construction of the [[Gateshead]] Western Bypass saw the section of A69 from Denton Burn into central Newcastle renumbered A186, with the A69 then passing over [[Scotswood Bridge]] and following the Gateshead Western Bypass to [[Birtley, Tyne and Wear|Birtley]] where it joined the [[A1(M)]].   The later construction of the Newcastle Western Bypass saw the Gateshead Western Bypass section renumbered [[A1 road (Great Britain)|A1]] as the A1 was diverted to the west of Newcastle upon Tyne city centre and over the new [[Blaydon Bridge]], with the A69 curtailed to its current terminus at Denton Burn.

== Standard of route ==
The A69 is a major route linking the [[North East England|north-east]] and [[North West England|north-west]] of England, and as such has primary status throughout. For about {{convert|20|mi|-1}} between its start at Newcastle and the Hexham by-pass the A69 is dual carriageway standard, and is largely [[grade separation|grade separated]]. The rest of the route, apart from a short dual carriageway section near the M6 Junction 43 is single carriageway, with occasional climbing lanes.

== Haydon Bridge bypass ==

Haydon Bridge was the last village on the A69 in Northumberland to gain a bypass. This was officially opened on Wednesday 25 March 2009 and passes to the south of the village with a new bridge over the [[River Tyne|River South Tyne]] to the west of the village.<ref name="HexhamCourant 27 March 2015">{{cite journal
| last = Coulter
| first =David
| title = End of a long road for campaigners
| journal = Hexham Courant
| issue = 27 March 2009
|pages=9
}}</ref>

== Safety ==
A report on the A69 in 2011 noted that in the previous year 82 accidents were recorded with 130 injuries, 10 serious injuries and four deaths.<ref>{{Cite web|title=News & Star {{!}} Tynedale: MP takes A69 dualling plea to the Chancellor |url=http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/tynedale-mp-takes-a69-dualling-plea-to-the-chancellor-1.1173418 |website=www.newsandstar.co.uk |access-date=2 November 2015 }}{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Campaigning has been ongoing to get the section from Hexham to Carlisle dualled to allow vehicles to overtake safely.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{GB A road zone 6}}

{{coord|54.97691|N|2.32543|W|type:landmark_region:GB_dim:30000|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:6-0069}}
[[Category:Roads in Cumbria]]
[[Category:Roads in England]]
[[Category:Transport in Tyne and Wear]]
[[Category:Roads in Northumberland]]