Basingstoke Ring Road

Approaching the Worting Road overbridge on the northbound carriageway of Basingstoke Ring Road West

The Basingstoke Ring Road, which orbits the town of Basingstoke in Hampshire, features seven grade-separated junctions (GSJs) and five roundabouts. At least three of the roundabouts are designed to allow upgrading to GSJs at some point, although as they lie on the non-primary sections of the road this is unlikely to come about. The route is known as the Ringway, with Ringway North and East forming part of the A339, Ringway South part of the A30, and Ringway West part of the A340.

History

The ringways shown in April 1971

Ringway West

The first section to open on 31 May 1968 was part of Ringway West from Worting Road to Kingsclere Road. It cost £590,000. The roads opened with a 24 foot single carriageway and the ringway section was planned to be converted to dual carriageway within the next 4 years. It was initially unclassified and later renumbered as A340 for the Ringway, and B3400 for Churchill Way West.

Ringway North

The 3.5 mile Basingstoke Northern Bypass from Ringway West Roundabout to Black Dam Roundabout was opened on 11 September 1969 by Richard Marsh, Minister of Transport. It was single carriageway apart from 0.5 mile west of Aldermaston Road Roundabout. Cost was £1.5 million.