A217 road

UK road routebox
road= A217
length-mi=
length-km=
direction= North - South
start= Gatwick
destinations= Sutton
end= Wandsworth
construction-date=
completion-date=
junctions= ukmotorwaysmall|25
ukroadsmall|23
gbroadsmall|24
ukroadsmall|25
ukroadsmall|232
ukroadsmall|236
ukroadsmall|240
ukroadsmall|297
ukroadsmall|2022
ukroadsmall|3 The A217 is a road in the United Kingdom. It runs south from Kings Road in Fulham, London, crossing the Thames at Wandsworth Bridge, then passing through Wandsworth, Tooting, Mitcham, Cheam, Banstead, crossing the M25 motorway at Junction 8, then passing through Reigate and terminating shortly before reaching Gatwick Airport.

Landmarks on the route

*Wandsworth Bridge
*Young's Brewery, Wandsworth
*Wandsworth Arndale Centre
*Earlsfield railway station
*Tooting Broadway tube station
*Tooting railway station
*Figges Marsh
*Mitcham Cricket Green
*Mitcham tram station and Station House
*Rosehill Recreation Ground
*Banstead Downs
*Banstead Heath
*Reigate Town Hall and former castle

Major roads intersected by the route

*A3 and A205 South Circular Road at Wandsworth
*A24 at Tooting
*A232 at Cheam
*M25 at Junction 8
*A25 at Reigate

Illegal racing

The stretch of the A217 called 'The Mad Mile' has been popular for illegal street racing. It is a straight length of dual carriageway that runs downhill from the junction with the A2022 to the junction with the B2230 at Belmont. [cite web | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/southern_counties/4930690.stm | title=New powers over Mad Mile drivers | publisher=BBC | work=BBC News | date=2006-04-21] This length of road has been known locally for generations, then became popular in early 2000 with the modified car scene where frequent races would take place, usually on Thursday nights. This information spread quite quickly with the use of the internet, as far north as Birmingham and as a result people from all over came to participate and watch these races.Police presence gradually diffused this illegal activity, but it has not completely disappeared. [cite web | url=http://www.surrey.police.uk/news_item.asp?artid=3144 | title=‘Cruisers’ cars confiscated on Mad Mile | publisher=Surrey Police | work=surrey.police.uk | date=2003-06-13] Measures to stop these races include crash barriers erected on the centre grass verge which runs the length of this stretch. People used to park here while the races were in progress.

This stretch of road has also made news appearances in the early 2000s as well as documentaries on the modified car scene/cruising.Fact|date=December 2007

Fatal Incidents

In August 2006 two men who raced along the road and caused an accident that killed three people were sentenced to prison. It was said that the two men were driving recklessly at a speed much faster than the 40mph limit on the road. [cite web | url=http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/crimenews/display.var.1655290.0.racing_pair_jailed_after_pensioners_deaths.php | title=Racing pair jailed after pensioners' deaths | author=Court reporter | date=2007-08-31 | accessdate=2007-12-13 | format=html | publisher=thisislocallondon.com]

References

External links

* [http://www.sabre-roads.org.uk/roadlists/r10/notes.php?number=A217 SABRE Roads By Ten - A217]