A332
A332 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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From: | Bagshot (SU904650) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
To: | Slough (SU975799) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance: | 12.5 miles (20.1 km) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Meets: | A322, B3017, A329, A330, B3034, B383, A308, B3026, A355, B3022, B3027, A412, A4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Former Number(s): | B472, B3011, B3019, B3022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Old route now: | A412, A3095, A4007, B416, B3022, B3348 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Primary Destinations | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Highway Authorities | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Traditional Counties | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Route outline (key) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The A332 is a semi-rural road, mostly in Berkshire, with a complicated history.
The route starts off by branching from the primary A322 just north of Bagshot. It has a straight run through woodland for a few miles before suddenly shooting off right over the Ascot - Reading railway and crossing the A329 at a roundabout. It then runs along the far side of Royal Ascot Racecourse which can be clearly seen from the road.
At the end of the racecourse, the A330 is crossed at a pair of staggered mini roundabouts. The A332 heads through more woodland before reaching the B383 at a "squashed" figure of 8 semi-roundabout.
The next section of the A332 then leaves the woodland and heads straight through the centre of Windsor Great Park, before meeting the A308 at a roundabout just outside Windsor itself. The A332 and A308 multiplex through the middle of Windsor and then separate at the other side, though originally the A332 went straight on to cross the Thames at Eton.
From here, the A332 is a fast dual carriageway over the Thames which almost makes it as far as the M4, but TOTSOs right (the road ahead is the A355) just before meeting it. It then swings round to the left, rejoining its original route, before heading into the stereotypical suburbia of Slough. The road runs under the M4 without a junction, meets the terminus of the A412, and shortly afterwards reaches its own terminus at a roundabout junction with the A4 in the middle of Slough.
History
The A332 barely runs on any of its 1922 route, although its route is similar.
Originally it started on the A321 in Sandhurst. It ran through Bracknell and to the west of Windsor Great Park on the B3022, before heading through the centre of Windsor and Eton to meet its present incarnation on the edge of Slough. This explains the break in the B3022 between Windsor and Eton: the A332 crossed Windsor Bridge, which is now pedestrian only. The road gained its present southern terminus and route into Windsor in 1935. It was re-routed to follow Windsor and Eton Relief Road around the town when it opened on 11 July 1966.
North of Slough, it originally ran further to Uxbridge, only to be quickly rerouted through Stoke Poges and Gerrard's Cross to terminate on the A413 in Chalfont St Peter. This final section has now been downgraded to become an extension / spur of the B416.