The A303 in Wiltshire, with Stonehenge in the background
Route information
Maintained by National Highways
Length
93 mi[1] (150 km)
History
1819 (as the New Direct Road)[2]
1933 (as the A303)
Known for
Stonehenge road tunnel (proposed)
Major junctions
Northeast end
Basingstoke
Major intersections
M3
A34
A338
Stonehenge
A36
A350
A37
A3088
A358
A30
To
Honiton
Location
Country
United Kingdom
Counties
Hampshire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset, Devon
Primary destinations
Andover Salisbury Warminster Yeovil
Road network
Roads in the United Kingdom
Motorways
A and B road zones
The A303 is a trunk road in southern England, running between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon via Stonehenge. Connecting the M3 and the A30, it is part of one of the main routes from London to Devon and Cornwall. It is a primary A road throughout its length, passing through five counties.
The road has evolved from historical routes, some of which are thousands of years old, including the Harrow Way and the Fosse Way. The modern route was first laid out in the early 19th century as the New Direct Road, a faster coaching route from London to Exeter. It was initially in demand but fell into disuse as railways became popular from the 1840s onwards. It was not thought of as a significant through route when roads were initially numbered, but was revived as a major road in 1933, eventually becoming a trunk road in 1958. Since then, the A303 has gradually been upgraded to modern standards, though there are still several unimproved parts with longstanding plans to fix them.
As a primary route to southwestern England, the A303 is frequently congested on its single carriageway sections. It passes through the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and attempts to upgrade the road in those areas have been controversial. In particular, the Stonehenge tunnel, which would see the A303 rerouted underground, has been proposed and delayed several times. Nevertheless, the road remains a popular alternative to motorway driving.
^Cite error: The named reference gmap_end was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Travis, John F (1993). The Rise of the Devon Seaside Resorts, 1750–1900. University of Exeter Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-859-89392-3.
The A303 is a trunk road in southern England, running between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon via Stonehenge. Connecting the M3 and the A30...
Stonehenge road tunnel is a planned tunnel in Wiltshire, England, drawn up by National Highways to upgrade the A303road. It would move the A303 into a tunnel...
much of this function is performed by the M3 (including A316) and A303roads. The road has kept its principal status in the west from Honiton, Devon to...
providing a road link between the major ports of Southampton and Bristol. It also provides a link between Bristol and London via the A303. Originally...
electoral ward in South Somerset, southwest England. The town lies off the A303road, a main route between London and South West England, and has some light...
roads in zone 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4 (roads beginning with 3). Wikimedia Commons has media related to A roads...
the M5 motorway. Traffic to and from the east travels either via the A303road, or the M4 motorway, which runs east–west, crossing the M5 motorway just...
to wear noise-cancelling headphones to hear the music above the nearby A303road. Projection mapping has also been used as a way to highlight political...
9 mi) southwest of Basingstoke in Hampshire, UK. It lies alongside the A303road. The airfield has two grass runways, designated 08/26 and 03/21. Light...
the middle of the plain, as well as various hamlets and army camps. The A303road runs through the southern area of the plain, while the A345 and the A360...
government's scheme to build a road tunnel under the Stonehenge World Heritage Site as part of the plans to upgrade the A303road. The scheme would involve...
808. Bypassed in 1988, the town now lies just east of the junction of the A303 (London to Exeter) and the A358 (Taunton to Chard and Axminster). The parish...
local charities, rail connectivity, new schools, dualling of the arterial A303road through Somerset, and reduced duty, regulation and VAT on pub sales. At...
west and West Chinnock and Chiselborough to the east. Passing under the A303road to the east of South Petherton, the river flows between East Lambrook...
England. The village is about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) west of Mere, next to the A303road towards Wincanton, and adjoins the villages of Bourton, Dorset and Penselwood...
north-east of the city of Salisbury. It is on the A338 road, near its junction with the A303road. It is in the Test Valley council district but its post...
beneath the A303. The section between Shaftesbury and Blandford Forum is almost completely unimproved and in at least one location the road is not wide...
grade-separated junction with the main A303road and then passes through the town of Tidworth. From there the road travels north to Collingbourne Ducis...
153. Sock Dennis lies on the Monarch's Way long-distance footpath. The A303road once passed through the village but now runs via a dual carriageway bypass...
The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A33 and M3 at Winchester in Hampshire, to the A6 and A6042 in Salford, close to Manchester City Centre...
The A31 is a major trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset. Its most well known section is the Hog's...
Street and Roman Road, a minor road that was formerly part of the A303, towards the present-day A303 west of town. The Roman road from Ilchester to Dorchester...
parish in Hampshire, England. It lies 3 miles west of Andover near the [[A303road] Wikimedia Commons has media related to Monxton. "Civil Parish population...
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