A30 Dual Carriageway History

The study of British and Irish roads - their construction, numbering, history, mapping, past and future official roads proposals and general roads musings.

There is a separate forum for Street Furniture (traffic lights, street lights, road signs etc).

Registered users get access to other forums including discussions about other forms of transport, driving, fantasy roads and wishlists, and roads quizzes.

Moderator: Site Management Team

ryzzey
Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2020 22:20
Location: Dorset, UK

A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by ryzzey »

Hi, I've been lurking in this forum for some time and find myself getting lost for hours looking into history of roads etc but this is my first post, so hello!

I've tried to do some digging to find out the history of the dual carriageway section of A30 between Yeovil and Sherborne. Having lived in the area for 20 years it's always fascinated me that this section of road is dualled and not single lane, considering most of the rest of the A30 is single lane.

I have been trying to find any photos of its construction, or even dates of when it became dual carriageway but with no luck. I'm also interested in the Chinese restaurant here on the eastbound side and pet shop here on the westbound side that I assume used to be petrol stations.

If anyone knows anything about this section of road I'd love to hear about it, or even more any photos of the petrol stations etc.

Thanks in advance!
User avatar
JonB2028
Member
Posts: 97
Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 22:36

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by JonB2028 »

I'd be interested too. Looking at old-maps.co.uk shown as single on the 1961 1:10,560 map but dualled on the 1971 one. Of course could have been done prior to 1961, just the mapping not caught up with it.
User avatar
hoagy_ytfc
Member
Posts: 632
Joined: Sun May 23, 2010 00:10

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

I vaguely remember the Babylon Hill section being built, so that would have been at least mid-60s, probably late 60s. The rest of it was built earlier though.

Sorry, not very specific, but it's what I remember, growing up in Yeovil (b 1962)
User avatar
solocle
Member
Posts: 806
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 18:27

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by solocle »

ryzzey wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 23:16 Hi, I've been lurking in this forum for some time and find myself getting lost for hours looking into history of roads etc but this is my first post, so hello!

I've tried to do some digging to find out the history of the dual carriageway section of A30 between Yeovil and Sherborne. Having lived in the area for 20 years it's always fascinated me that this section of road is dualled and not single lane, considering most of the rest of the A30 is single lane.

I have been trying to find any photos of its construction, or even dates of when it became dual carriageway but with no luck. I'm also interested in the Chinese restaurant here on the eastbound side and pet shop here on the westbound side that I assume used to be petrol stations.

If anyone knows anything about this section of road I'd love to hear about it, or even more any photos of the petrol stations etc.

Thanks in advance!
I know the road, but don't know its history!
That said, the OS quarter inch 1968 seems to show it dualled as far as the Over Compton / Bradford Abbas junction.
The 1966 route planning seems to show a SC for the whole stretch, 1967 dualled as far as Nether Compton (probably, hard to tell at that scale). 1966 One Inch seems to show dualling as far as Nether Compton.
68/69 agree with the '68 QI.
The 1970 route planning shows dualling as far as Babylon Hill, so I'd guess that is the completion date.
ryzzey
Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2020 22:20
Location: Dorset, UK

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by ryzzey »

Thanks all, I thought it had been here for at least 50 years so that clears it up.

I wonder why it was decided to make it dual? Yes there is a lot of traffic using it, especially into Yeovil but there are other stretches of the A30 that are single and should be dual.

It is a lovely road to drive on though, especially on a bright sunny day, the sweeing curves and hills are a pleasure to drive on!

If anyone has any pictures of construction or of the old petrol stations I'd love to see them.
SteveA30
Member
Posts: 6016
Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 12:52
Location: Dorset

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by SteveA30 »

The Chinese was a Little Chef. It is in the 1974 leaflet but, not in the 1982 one. Branch 202 A30 Sherborne - Shell. No photos of it or the other garage but, they may be on this Facebook site, if you look long enough!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/257490574710302/
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
ryzzey
Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2020 22:20
Location: Dorset, UK

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by ryzzey »

SteveA30 wrote: Fri Jan 31, 2020 12:03 The Chinese was a Little Chef. It is in the 1974 leaflet but, not in the 1982 one. Branch 202 A30 Sherborne - Shell. No photos of it or the other garage but, they may be on this Facebook site, if you look long enough!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/257490574710302/
Thanks for this, interesting that it was a Little Chef, I actually bought my first car from the garage that's also there now.

Will join that Facebook group, looks like it could be interesting!
prodraught
New Member
Posts: 3
Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 22:59

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by prodraught »

It is most likely part of the original south west trunk road plan formulated in the 1930's, when the initial plans were to upgrade all primary A roads to serve the four corners of Britain. The ideas dreamt up were sectional improvements to each route until D2 status roads existed to each far flung location.

The A30 was the original London - Cornwall link, and even had traffic issues pre war (it was partially by-passed itself by the building of the A303). Each town / local authority on the route submitted requests for By-passes and upgrades and when money became available (or when dubious deals were done in the corridors of power for extra development) the route was granted sectional upgrades. Whilst this continued into the 70's, the birth of the Motorway a decade before meant that the government had strategically withdrawn the need to continue with its trunk road upgrades in favour of the M4 / M5 link to Cornwall.

The A roads continued to benefit from local improvements (particularly on this route as in the summer it is very congested), and even now it is the subject of proposals for Honiton to Marsh improvements.

Its unlikely it will continue to be invested in heavily as it has many alternatives to the north and south on adjacent routes.
User avatar
Dan Lockton
Member
Posts: 47
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2005 22:33
Location: Utrecht, NL
Contact:

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Dan Lockton »

Crossroads Pet Supplies was (if I remember correctly) a Jet garage until the mid-1990s (I can check my notes later to see if I actually noted when it closed). From vague memory, I think it remained quite old-fashioned (late 60s pumps, no canopy, possibly even attended service) until the end, but unfortunately I never took a photo.

Edit: This site http://www.yeovilhistory.info/babylon-hill.htm has some photos including a couple of garages
User avatar
Steven
SABRE Maps Coordinator
Posts: 19168
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2002 20:39
Location: Wolverhampton, Staffordshire
Contact:

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Steven »

ryzzey wrote: Wed Jan 29, 2020 23:16 I've tried to do some digging to find out the history of the dual carriageway section of A30 between Yeovil and Sherborne. Having lived in the area for 20 years it's always fascinated me that this section of road is dualled and not single lane, considering most of the rest of the A30 is single lane.

I have been trying to find any photos of its construction, or even dates of when it became dual carriageway but with no luck.
solocle wrote: Thu Jan 30, 2020 10:59 That said, the OS quarter inch 1968 seems to show it dualled as far as the Over Compton / Bradford Abbas junction.
The 1966 route planning seems to show a SC for the whole stretch, 1967 dualled as far as Nether Compton (probably, hard to tell at that scale). 1966 One Inch seems to show dualling as far as Nether Compton.
68/69 agree with the '68 QI.
The 1970 route planning shows dualling as far as Babylon Hill, so I'd guess that is the completion date.
For those that don't realise, all of those maps mentioned are available on SABRE Maps - just click on "Maps" in the top yellow bar.

There's also an amount of information on the SABRE Wiki regarding road opening dates, such as this example: Network changes - 1970s
Steven
Motorway Historian

Founder Member, SABRE ex-Presidents' Corner

Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Try getting involved!


From the SABRE Wiki: Network changes - 1970s :
list of the changes to the road network in Great Britain from 1970 - 1979.  Includes road openings and renumberings.


NC|1971|A165|Coniston Bypass|Yorkshire|Reported as now open by the Hull Daily Mail of 9 February 1971.NC|1971|A168|Dishforth Bypass|Yorkshire|The 1.4 mile dual carriageway from 1013 yards north-east of Duckhill Lane to Blind Lane,

... Read More
ryzzey
Member
Posts: 28
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2020 22:20
Location: Dorset, UK

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by ryzzey »

Dan Lockton wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2020 17:35 Crossroads Pet Supplies was (if I remember correctly) a Jet garage until the mid-1990s (I can check my notes later to see if I actually noted when it closed). From vague memory, I think it remained quite old-fashioned (late 60s pumps, no canopy, possibly even attended service) until the end, but unfortunately I never took a photo.

Edit: This site http://www.yeovilhistory.info/babylon-hill.htm has some photos including a couple of garages
Thanks Dan, those are the first photos I've seen of the construction of the dual carriageway! Really interesting also to read about the previous route up the steep hill and how the layby on the hill down towards Yeovil is part of the original road.
Steven wrote: Mon Feb 03, 2020 18:09

For those that don't realise, all of those maps mentioned are available on SABRE Maps - just click on "Maps" in the top yellow bar.

There's also an amount of information on the SABRE Wiki regarding road opening dates, such as this example: Network changes - 1970s
Thanks also Steven, I have had a play around with the maps page but it is sometimes hard to tell single carriageway from dual carriageway on the historic maps.

From the SABRE Wiki: Network changes - 1970s :
list of the changes to the road network in Great Britain from 1970 - 1979.  Includes road openings and renumberings.


NC|1971|A165|Coniston Bypass|Yorkshire|Reported as now open by the Hull Daily Mail of 9 February 1971.NC|1971|A168|Dishforth Bypass|Yorkshire|The 1.4 mile dual carriageway from 1013 yards north-east of Duckhill Lane to Blind Lane,

... Read More
User avatar
A303Chris
Elected Committee Member
Posts: 3587
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 14:01
Location: Reading

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by A303Chris »

What I want to know is, why have Somerset made the section of the A30 from the A37 on the town centre bypass to the county boundary at the bottom of Babylon hill primary, when it is all non primary to east.
The M25 - The road to nowhere
User avatar
solocle
Member
Posts: 806
Joined: Thu Jun 02, 2016 18:27

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by solocle »

A303Chris wrote: Tue Feb 04, 2020 13:24 What I want to know is, why have Somerset made the section of the A30 from the A37 on the town centre bypass to the county boundary at the bottom of Babylon hill primary, when it is all non primary to east.
What? The only bit that I can see as primary according to road sign colour / google is from A37 Hospital Roundabout to the Bunford Hollow Roundabout... which makes sense as a primary route from the A37 to the south, onto the A3088 for the A303. Might be a mistake on OS.

In fact - Somerset states "Queensway North Roundabout", which I'd interpret as Hospital Roundabout, being at the north end of Queensway.
Glenn A
Member
Posts: 9776
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 19:31
Location: Cumbria

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Glenn A »

prodraught wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2020 17:24 It is most likely part of the original south west trunk road plan formulated in the 1930's, when the initial plans were to upgrade all primary A roads to serve the four corners of Britain. The ideas dreamt up were sectional improvements to each route until D2 status roads existed to each far flung location.

The A30 was the original London - Cornwall link, and even had traffic issues pre war (it was partially by-passed itself by the building of the A303). Each town / local authority on the route submitted requests for By-passes and upgrades and when money became available (or when dubious deals were done in the corridors of power for extra development) the route was granted sectional upgrades. Whilst this continued into the 70's, the birth of the Motorway a decade before meant that the government had strategically withdrawn the need to continue with its trunk road upgrades in favour of the M4 / M5 link to Cornwall.

The A roads continued to benefit from local improvements (particularly on this route as in the summer it is very congested), and even now it is the subject of proposals for Honiton to Marsh improvements.

Its unlikely it will continue to be invested in heavily as it has many alternatives to the north and south on adjacent routes.
I reckon Exeter must have been a nightmare, even with its by pass, before the M5 opened, as the A30 and A38 met and you had traffic to and from Cornwall, the south Devon coast and Plymouth meeting up.
User avatar
Ruperts Trooper
Member
Posts: 12031
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 13:43
Location: Huntingdonshire originally, but now Staffordshire

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Ruperts Trooper »

Glenn A wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 16:09
prodraught wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2020 17:24 It is most likely part of the original south west trunk road plan formulated in the 1930's, when the initial plans were to upgrade all primary A roads to serve the four corners of Britain. The ideas dreamt up were sectional improvements to each route until D2 status roads existed to each far flung location.

The A30 was the original London - Cornwall link, and even had traffic issues pre war (it was partially by-passed itself by the building of the A303). Each town / local authority on the route submitted requests for By-passes and upgrades and when money became available (or when dubious deals were done in the corridors of power for extra development) the route was granted sectional upgrades. Whilst this continued into the 70's, the birth of the Motorway a decade before meant that the government had strategically withdrawn the need to continue with its trunk road upgrades in favour of the M4 / M5 link to Cornwall.

The A roads continued to benefit from local improvements (particularly on this route as in the summer it is very congested), and even now it is the subject of proposals for Honiton to Marsh improvements.

Its unlikely it will continue to be invested in heavily as it has many alternatives to the north and south on adjacent routes.
I reckon Exeter must have been a nightmare, even with its by pass, before the M5 opened, as the A30 and A38 met and you had traffic to and from Cornwall, the south Devon coast and Plymouth meeting up.
Nah, it was worse than a nightmare! From the Midlands, it was much quicker using the A39 coastal route but from the South-East, then travelling overnight made it just about bearable.
Lifelong motorhead
Glenn A
Member
Posts: 9776
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 19:31
Location: Cumbria

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Glenn A »

Ruperts Trooper wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 16:25
Glenn A wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 16:09
prodraught wrote: Sat Feb 01, 2020 17:24 It is most likely part of the original south west trunk road plan formulated in the 1930's, when the initial plans were to upgrade all primary A roads to serve the four corners of Britain. The ideas dreamt up were sectional improvements to each route until D2 status roads existed to each far flung location.

The A30 was the original London - Cornwall link, and even had traffic issues pre war (it was partially by-passed itself by the building of the A303). Each town / local authority on the route submitted requests for By-passes and upgrades and when money became available (or when dubious deals were done in the corridors of power for extra development) the route was granted sectional upgrades. Whilst this continued into the 70's, the birth of the Motorway a decade before meant that the government had strategically withdrawn the need to continue with its trunk road upgrades in favour of the M4 / M5 link to Cornwall.

The A roads continued to benefit from local improvements (particularly on this route as in the summer it is very congested), and even now it is the subject of proposals for Honiton to Marsh improvements.

Its unlikely it will continue to be invested in heavily as it has many alternatives to the north and south on adjacent routes.
I reckon Exeter must have been a nightmare, even with its by pass, before the M5 opened, as the A30 and A38 met and you had traffic to and from Cornwall, the south Devon coast and Plymouth meeting up.
Nah, it was worse than a nightmare! From the Midlands, it was much quicker using the A39 coastal route but from the South-East, then travelling overnight made it just about bearable.
Then you had the long drag to Cornwall and the joys of Okehampton, which wasn't by passed until 1989.
SteveA30
Member
Posts: 6016
Joined: Fri May 06, 2005 12:52
Location: Dorset

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by SteveA30 »

An idea of what Exeter was like from the 50's to the 70's here.

https://roadhog.shutterfly.com/pictures/335
Roads and holidays in the west, before motorways.
http://trektothewest.shutterfly.com
http://holidayroads.webs.com/
User avatar
Truvelo
Member
Posts: 17467
Joined: Wed May 29, 2002 21:10
Location: Staffordshire
Contact:

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Truvelo »

SteveA30 wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 20:06 An idea of what Exeter was like from the 50's to the 70's here.

https://roadhog.shutterfly.com/pictures/335
Some interesting things there. One photo shows the bypass as a ring road. I've never seen it referred to as that before.

There's also a photo of an S3 section with both outer lanes busy and no one using the centre lane. Maybe drivers were more polite back then?
How would you like your grade separations, Sir?
Big and complex.
DavidBrown
Member
Posts: 8398
Joined: Sun May 29, 2005 00:35

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by DavidBrown »

Truvelo wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 20:26 Some interesting things there. One photo shows the bypass as a ring road. I've never seen it referred to as that before.
There's still signs to this very day at the same junction that refer to it as the Ring Road, though to say that "Ring Road" signage is inconsistent would be putting it mildly.
Glenn A
Member
Posts: 9776
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2005 19:31
Location: Cumbria

Re: A30 Dual Carriageway History

Post by Glenn A »

Truvelo wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 20:26
SteveA30 wrote: Sat Feb 08, 2020 20:06 An idea of what Exeter was like from the 50's to the 70's here.

https://roadhog.shutterfly.com/pictures/335
Some interesting things there. One photo shows the bypass as a ring road. I've never seen it referred to as that before.

There's also a photo of an S3 section with both outer lanes busy and no one using the centre lane. Maybe drivers were more polite back then?
The infamous suicide lane, something which is mercifully rarely now. Yes for all there is this myth that roads in the sixties and seventies were free flowing and driving was fun, hit a trunk or primary road at holiday time, or one that went through a town centre, and the congestion was horrendous as the road couldn't cope, and this was when there was a third of the traffic we have now. Yet get on a motorway or a D2 and driving was a lot more fun than now.
Post Reply