Thoughts on the A303

[henhouse05]

After having a successful topic on 'Thoughts on the M5' I thought I would have another go at the same sort of thing. This time, it's 'Thoughts on the A303'.
The A303, just like the M5, is a road I've travelled up and down alot in the past, and I'm still doing so, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. So does anyone have any thoughts, stories, photos, views etc to share on the A303? Post them here if you like.
Literally anything about the A303 can be posted here, services, junctions, roadside objects, villages &towns, bad sections of road, bits that should have been dualled, straw pigs and owls, willow deer, roads off the main road, etc....
Literally anything about the A303 goes. This topic is all about reminissing, complimenting, sharing stories and facts, and maybe the occasional complaint about the A303.
Enjoy.

[SteveA30]

There are pics of both the M5 and A303 in Wiki, and lots on my site http://www.picasaweb.google.com/steve.zodiac1

Careful with your newby enthusiasm though, some will soon shoot you down, perhaps because topics have been covered previously. Its happened to others. All fine by me though, keep it up!

Dates for A303 bypass openings, in the Maps and Atlases section, under Atlas Dating.

I once did a motorbike ride from Fleet to Penzance in July 1977. Leaving in the early evening, I stayed at the Frying Pan Cafe overnight. This was at Sparkford, until 1983 when it burnt down. It became a Happy Eater then, a Little Chef, although now closed and To Let. After having a room to myself, I was up early for a fry-up at the 24 hour cafe and off westwards on a lovely summers morning by 8am. I met another biker going through Ilminster and we rode west together, using the new M5 J30-31 at Exeter for the first time.

Is that what you are looking for?

[henhouse05]

Thanks steve, they're great! Some great info too!
Yes, I'll try to not be so entusiastic.
I know the sparkford ones, I went past them the other day. The little shed looks pretty sad all boarded up.
From fleet to penzance? Blimey! You must be good!

[Owain]

Since I moved to Frome this has been my principal route to London and Dover. As someone used to using the M4, M5 and M6 to get places, I don't like it. It can be quite a pleasant run, but the S2 sections and roundabouts are frustrating, the one with the new 40mph limit and traffic lights most of all! In short, a grossly substandard road that should be M30 or at least a GSJd A30. I'm much less enthusiastic about this than I was about the M5!!

[Vierwielen]

Since I moved to Frome this has been my principal route to London and Dover. As someone used to using the M4, M5 and M6 to get places, I don't like it. It can be quite a pleasant run, but the S2 sections and roundabouts are frustrating, the one with the new 40mph limit and traffic lights most of all! In short, a grossly substandard road that should be M30 or at least a GSJd A30. I'm much less enthusiastic about this than I was about the M5!!

... not to mention the indecision about Stonehenge, though I do remember some politician (I forget his name) promising that during his term of office, he would see to it that you drive two jags abreast along its entire length.

[rob200]

Sad but true: when I'm in the area I always make a detour to bomb drive sedately along the S3 section of old A303 between the B3084 and Thruxton and imagine how much fun it'd be if roads were always that quiet

[M5Lenzar]

The A303 is a national embarassment, especially the S2 sections. It is a disgrace that we have trunk roads of such a poor standard 50 years after we started building proper roads.

[c2R]

Something I've probably said before, but I recall the first time I drove down the 303. It was tipping down with rain, and I came over the crest of the hill with stonehenge below me. It was shining in a beam of sunlight amongst the storm. Looked exactly like Turner's painting.

[henhouse05]

Thanks alot guys. Some great and interesting posts here.
I agree with many of you, that the A303 has places that really should be dualled, or converted to motorway. Particularly the stonehenge bottleneck. But that has a good excuse - the land on both sides is protected. They did try to widen it, and even create a tunnel underneat the ground, but neither of these plans happened. You do wonder why they didn't bypass it, though.

Something I've probably said before, but I recall the first time I drove down the 303. It was tipping down with rain, and I came over the crest of the hill with stonehenge below me. It was shining in a beam of sunlight amongst the storm. Looked exactly like Turner's painting.

c2R - That sounds incredible. You must have been very lucky.

[Keiji]

But that has a good excuse - the land on both sides is protected.

But why? It's just fields. If it's because of potential blight, isn't the existing road just as bad as a new dual carriageway would be?

[WHBM]

But that has a good excuse - the land on both sides is protected.

But why?

I seem to recall that English Heritage has got a planning restriction of some sort prohibiting any development which is visible from the ground at Stonehenge (and there is very little apart from the A303 currently). This was part of why the A303 was to go in tunnel past the site. The aim was to enable the site to be portrayed in it's "natural prehistoric setting". This is part of why even the existing entrance and ticket office etc are all depressed below ground level.

[MotorwayGuy]

Well it's not like a D2 would make that much difference to the landscape anyway - couldn't it be put in a cutting like the ticket office?

[M5Lenzar]

I had been under the impression that English Heritage had wanted something done about the A303 as it was believed to have a negative effect on visitor numbers?

[Jonny A46]

In an ideal world the A303 would be dual carriageway throughout its length, though in my opinion the Ilminster by-pass at the very least should be dualled. I've never used the A303 as it's well out of my way, but from what I've heard that bit is S2+1 and along with the A358 to Taunton is a bit dangerous.

I'm not keen on westbound traffic to Exeter being directed to the M5 via the A358 instead of the A30/A303, as it funnels more traffic onto the motorway when the A30 is dualled from Honiton to Exeter. I can understand why this decision was made but I still think the A30/A303 is the superior route (and looking at the map, probably shorter, but I'm guessing there).

[Goose]

Well on the stonehenge front, a possible solution may be to send all the eastbound traffic up the a360 then along the a344 to rejoin the a303 while westbound continues along the a303 as a dual carriageway, likewise with the other route making it a massive oneway system!

[Halstead]

In an ideal world the A303 would be dual carriageway throughout its length, though in my opinion the Ilminster by-pass at the very least should be dualled. I've never used the A303 as it's well out of my way, but from what I've heard that bit is S2+1 and along with the A358 to Taunton is a bit dangerous.

Apart from removing the S2+1, I would also GSJ the large roundabout outside Ilchester and as imaginary upgarde the A303 to motorway from the M3 to Mere at a minimum.

Originally I disliked the A303 as a child because of the tailbacks on the S2 sections, although nowadays it's my preferred route to the SW (along with the dead straight A30). Even so I'd rather take the A303 than the M4/M5 for familiarity reasons; I once took the mway alternative in 2008 and I felt uncomfortable IMHO.

Re: the A358. I heavily agree that the A303 shouldn't be funneled entirely through this section, only traffic destined for North Devon should be advised to take the A358/M5 whilst the rest sticks to the default route; does feel illogical to waste the A30 by overloading the A358 purely because it's closer to a motorway.

[MotorwayGuy]

Weren't the S2+1 sections of the A303 originally WS2? I take it there must have been a problem with head-on's, but doe's anyone know when the current layout was adopted?

[t1(M)]

I think the solution to the Stonehenge problem is to divert the A303 via the Portway, to the north. The land is already government owned (MoD) and Larkhill barracks has no architectural merit.

[SteveA30]

It was WS2, except the eastbound stretch up the hill. It must have been altered about 2002 ish.

[Chris5156]

Well on the stonehenge front, a possible solution may be to send all the eastbound traffic up the a360 then along the a344 to rejoin the a303 while westbound continues along the a303 as a dual carriageway, likewise with the other route making it a massive oneway system!

That will be tricky - the A344 is closed and is about to be removed.