A3102

Route

The A3102 was created shortly after the M4 was constructed as a vague replacement for the eastern end of the defunct A420 section.

Melksham - Calne

We start in Melksham, at a roundabout on the town's bypass and initially take the route of the long-defunct A3053 northeastwards. We then turn sharply south east to pick up Bath Road (the old A350 through town, where it multiplexed with the A365), before finally picking up the old route of the B3102 route at the roundabout at the top of the High Street. Here another sharp turn sees us heading north, and then the road turns to the east.

Towards Melksham

After leaving Melksham behind, the A3102 takes a leisurely journey across Wiltshire's open fields, passing the odd farm and scattered village - and passing to the north of Bromham - until we reach the A342 near Chittoe Heath. This is not the original route of the B3102, however, as that road passed through Chittoe Heath to cross the A342 at a crossroads. Today, on the A road, we have to multiplex with the A342 northwards for nearly half a mile. Both junctions are simple T-junctions, and soon we are heading north east once more, heading for Calne.

Calne - Swindon

The B3102 always gave way to the A4 in Calne, but these days the multiplex is longer as the A3102 doesn't reappear until we get to the roundabout on the edge of town. This is because the route has been diverted along the town's northern distributor road, passing through 2 more roundabouts before we reach Oxford Road, again at a roundabout, and the old B3102.

A3102 to Lyneham

We are now heading almost due north once more, through more pleasant countryside until we reach Lyneham. Here, at the first roundabout, we turn left along Calne Road to a second roundabout. This was the end of the road for the B3102 where it met the A420, but today's A3102 continues, picking up the old route of the A420 which has arrived here as the B4069. The next town on the road is Royal Wootton Bassett, where we pass along the High Street and so meet the B4042 at a roundabout at the edge of town. Even the old A420 used to turn sharp right here and after another roundabout we are back out into the countryside.

But not for long! The next roundabout sees us meet the extended B4005 and the M4 at junction 16. From here, the road becomes Dual Carriageway too, but any hope of picking out the A420's old route is gone (it followed Gainsborough Way and Stokesay Drive to the north). Instead, we sweep round the south of Swindon's western suburbs with just two roundabouts - the first serving the B4534 and the second the B4553 and B4006. At the second, we turn right, pass under the railway and return to S2 along the old route of Wootton Bassett Road. Then, at the next roundabout or thereabouts, the route inexplicably stops and turns itself into the A4289, which itself gives way to the A4361 after little more than a mile. The old A420 bore left here into the town centre along what is now, at least as far as the next roundabout, the B4289.