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| Route information | |
| Length | 16.5 mi (26.6 km) |
| Major junctions | |
| East end | Plymouth 50°23′28″N4°05′14″W / 50.3910°N 4.0871°W /50.3910; -4.0871 (A374 road (eastern end)) |
| Major intersections |  A38 A379 A386 A387 |
| West end | Trerulefoot 50°24′24″N4°21′04″W / 50.4068°N 4.3511°W /50.4068; -4.3511 (A374 road (western end)) |
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Constituent country | England |
| Road network | |
TheA374 is a main road in theUnited Kingdom, one of sixA-roads making the border crossing betweenDevon andCornwall. It is the most southerly of the A37x group of roads, starting and ending its journey with theA38 trunk road, from the outskirts ofPlymouth in Devon to theTrerulefoot roundabout in Cornwall.
Starting at the Marsh Mills junction of the A38, the A374 heads west into Plymouth, following the course of theRiver Plym along a section of dual carriageway. At Prince Rock theA379 merges fromPlymstock and continues into the city. On the edge of the city centre it meets the Charles Cross roundabout, in the middle of which stands the preserved shell of the derelictCharles Church. Skirting the Plymouth city centre to the north, the A374 continues past the main buildings of theUniversity of Plymouth and is met by theA386 nearPlymouth railway station. Going westward down the locally notoriousUnion Street, the road entersDevonport and comes to theRiver Tamar.[1]
The A374 continues on into Cornwall, across the river, via the vehicle carryingTorpoint Ferry. Through the town ofTorpoint the road continues, following theRiver Lynher, through the villages ofAntony andSheviock and on toPolbathic, where the B3249 starts northwards to join the A38, avoiding a low bridge at Trerulefoot roundabout. The A374 climbs further through agricultural land, with theA387 joining from the west, and ends at Trerulefoot roundabout, re-joining the A38.[1]
The original road designated as the A374, as of 1922, ran fromHorton Cross, just north ofDonyatt inSomerset, southwards toColyford in Devon along the route of what is now theA358.[2] Whereas the Plymouth-Torpoint-Trerulefoot road (current A374) was designated as part of theA389 road toBodmin in Cornwall at this time.[3]
After the phases of road re-classification carried out in the 1920s and 1930s, the Trerulefoot-Torpoint-Marsh Mills stretch of road formed part of the A38, as the Torpoint Ferry was the main route across the River Tamar. After theTamar Bridge opened in 1961 the A38 was re-designated throughTideford, on what was previously the route of the A374 and the current route of the A374 was numbered as such.
The current A374 also used to extend beyond Marsh Mills throughPlympton to its southwestern edge, taking the previous route of the A38 prior to the Plympton bypass. However this has now been downgraded to the B3416 and other unclassified roads within Plympton town centre.
The A374 from Torpoint to Trerulefoot is also a very highly prized road in the motorcycling fraternity. Known locally as the "Torpoint Twisties" it offers a challenge to all with its series of bends and straights. However it also causes controversy because of the number of accidents and fatalities which occur, meaning the road has been classed as a "red" status road by the local constabulary and is patrolled regularly and monitored by static speed cameras.[4]
Download coordinates as:
A roads in Zone 3 of theGreat Britain road numbering scheme | ||
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50°22′25″N4°14′22″W / 50.3737°N 4.2394°W /50.3737; -4.2394 (A374 road)
