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| A40 (Great West Road) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Great West Road |
| Route | A40 |
| Location | London, United Kingdom |
| Length mi | ?? |
| Terminus a | Chiswick |
| Terminus b | Hammersmith |
| Maintained by | Transport for London |
A40 (Great West Road) is a major arterial road in west London forming part of the primary A40 road corridor between central London and Oxford. Constructed in the early 20th century as a relief route, the road connects suburbs such as Chiswick, Brentford, Hounslow, and Isleworth while linking to radial routes toward Heathrow Airport and the M4 motorway. It has notable examples of interwar industry, modern transport interchanges, and appearances in film and literature.
The route begins near Chiswick High Road adjacent to Chiswick House and runs west past the River Thames crossing points near Hammersmith Bridge and Gunnersbury before entering the Brentford industrial corridor close to Brentford Dock and Kew Bridge. Continuing west, it passes the Great West Quarter and the junctions with the A4 road and M4 motorway near Hounslow and Isleworth, providing links to Heathrow Airport, Slough, and Reading. The carriageway interfaces with local nodes such as Turnham Green and Boston Manor and connects to rail hubs including Kew Gardens station, Brentford railway station, and Hounslow Central on the London Underground and National Rail networks. Key crossings include the Chiswick Flyover and the elevated ramps serving the M4 Junction 1 complex.
Conceived amid interwar urban planning debates influenced by figures such as Herbert Morrison and John Betjeman-era commentators, the route was built to relieve congestion on the historic Oxford Road and to serve expanding industrial estates like the Gillette Company works and the Firestone Tyre and Rubber Company factory. Construction phases in the 1920s and 1930s coincided with broader infrastructure programmes associated with the London Passenger Transport Board and municipal ambitions in Middlesex and the County of London. Wartime exigencies during World War II altered traffic flows and saw nearby sites requisitioned in the run-up to the Battle of Britain. Postwar shifts, including the development of the M4 motorway and the opening of Heathrow Airport terminals, reshaped the road's strategic role through the late 20th century.
The road is celebrated for interwar commercial architecture by firms such as Ove Arup-associated engineers and architects influenced by Art Deco and Modernism. Notable buildings include the former Gillette Building, the Oils of Longevity-style façades, the Firestone Building with its sculptural reliefs, and the Trico and Imperial Chemical Industries premises, each adjacent to green spaces like Syon Park and Gunnersbury Park. Surviving signage and murals reflect associations with companies such as Coca-Cola, Kellogg's, and HP Sauce manufacturing nearby. Conservation efforts have involved bodies like Historic England and local borough councils including Hounslow London Borough Council and Hammersmith and Fulham London Borough Council.
The corridor interfaces with rail arteries including the Great Western Main Line at Kew Bridge and Brentford, and with Underground lines such as the Piccadilly line at Boston Manor and the District line at Turnham Green. Bus routes operated by London Buses provide radial and orbital services connecting to hubs like Acton Town, Ealing Broadway, and Hampton Court via interchange at Chiswick Park. Freight movements historically served industrial depots and continue to rely on nearby freight links to Feltham and West Drayton. Cycle infrastructure and emerging London Cycling Campaign initiatives have prompted redesigns near Brentford Lock and the Chiswick Business Park access roads.
Major upgrades have included construction of flyovers and grade-separated junctions influenced by postwar planners in tandem with projects such as the M4 motorway expansion and Ringway proposals debated by the Greater London Council. Maintenance responsibility lies with Transport for London for sections within the Greater London boundary, with coordination involving the Department for Transport for strategic routing. Recent schemes have targeted junction capacity, pedestrian safety near Chiswick Church and Boston Manor Park, and low-emission zone compliance aligned with London low emission zone policies; delivery partners have included private contractors and regional bodies such as Crossrail-adjacent authorities when integration was required.
The road and its iconic industrial façades have appeared in works by E. M. Forster-era novelists, films produced by studios proximate to Shepperton Studios, and television dramas set in west London. Photographers and artists from movements associated with The Architectural Review and magazines like Picture Post documented the Great West Road during the interwar boom. Music videos and contemporary documentaries have featured its bridges and factory skylines alongside sequences referencing Swinging London and postwar reconstruction, while local oral histories preserved by British Library collections capture commuter experiences and industrial labour narratives.
Category:Roads in London