Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by Richardf »

ajuk wrote: Fri Dec 03, 2021 01:11 Also, the A358 has a bridge over the A303, but for some reason traffic wanting to stay on it has to follow the new spur down to the A303 interchange with it for no reason, then then pass over it on a bridge that should have allowed it to avoid it all because a short stretch of the old A358 conveniently already there has been blocked off, why do that?
Because A303 to A358N is a more important movement than A358 to A358? I don't think the A358 south of Ilminster is even primary?

Even if you allowed A358 to A358 traffic to bypass the roundabout a link to the roundabout would still be needed and form the mainline. You would need a junction between the 2 somewhere so it might as well be the roundabout. Otherwise you would need an extra junction further up towards Ashill which isn't really nessesary.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by SteveA30 »

I drove the A303 from A36 to A350 and, after Wylye there is tree felling along the north side through Stockton Woods, wide enough for an e/bnd c/way. It ends at the D2.
Does anyone 'in the know' know if this is anything to do with the dualling scheme? I couldn't find any mention of a go-ahead in a search. It may be enabling works, as at Okehampton railway line, enabling work started, a few months before the official announcement of approval.
That would remove two more lane drop queues, on top of the two soon to go at Podimore and Sparkford.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

No, there is no such scheme.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by RichardA35 »

hoagy_ytfc wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 03:50 No, there is no such scheme.
I beg to differ. There is a scheme (and has been for a long time e.g. Wessex Link DBFO 1996) but not in this road investment period.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by KeithW »

RichardA35 wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 06:45 I beg to differ. There is a scheme (and has been for a long time e.g. Wessex Link DBFO 1996) but not in this road investment period.
Or in any, the 1997 General Election was won by Labour who decided not to progress it. Given that was over 25 years ago it seems unlikely to be brought forward now. The Salisbury Bypass which was mooted at about the same also never happened nor did the A1(M) extension from Baldock to Alconbury and that went as far as having the preferred route selected.

https://staploe-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/up ... Jan001.pdf

This prompted a Freedom Of Information request to the Highways Agency which replied that there was no such scheme under consideration.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by Herned »

KeithW wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:55 Or in any, the 1997 General Election was won by Labour who decided not to progress it. Given that was over 25 years ago it seems unlikely to be brought forward now.
Completion of dualling the A303 is listed by National Highways, so the scheme is expected to be brought forward at some point. It's not dead, yet
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by RichardA35 »

KeithW wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 10:55
RichardA35 wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 06:45 I beg to differ. There is a scheme (and has been for a long time e.g. Wessex Link DBFO 1996) but not in this road investment period.
Or in any, the 1997 General Election was won by Labour who decided not to progress it. Given that was over 25 years ago it seems unlikely to be brought forward now. The Salisbury Bypass which was mooted at about the same also never happened nor did the A1(M) extension from Baldock to Alconbury and that went as far as having the preferred route selected.

https://staploe-pc.gov.uk/wp-content/up ... Jan001.pdf

This prompted a Freedom Of Information request to the Highways Agency which replied that there was no such scheme under consideration.
All of which is irrelevant to Wylye to Stockton Wood which is on the books (as can be seen by a web search) for a future RIS and is a fairly easy scheme to progress but, as it doesn't really alleviate any major problems, it has always been "kicked down the road". I suspect it will be the last section to be dualled after the Ilminster bypass upgrade which will be after Ilminster to the M5 and Stonehenge improvements.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by RichardA35 »

KeithW wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 13:37Completion of dualling the A303 is an aspiration not a scheme, consider the variations we have seen for the route past Stonehenge alone.
Concentrating on the A303 only, aspirational it may be but it is a policy and the schemes are listed in the preparation programme for future RIS schemes. There is little chance of Wylye to Stockton Wood taking anything but the simplest, most direct route as it is only 2.5km long.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by Herned »

KeithW wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 13:37 Completion of dualling the A303 is an aspiration not a scheme, consider the variations we have seen for the route past Stonehenge alone.
National Highways call it a programme, which is partly semantics of course. But they do have it included in their pipeline of future schemes so it is in theory still live. The A1 motorway plans are not currently listed, so they are far less likely to see the light of day.

It's a strange segment, it will need barely any significant civil works to complete, perhaps a farm bridge or two, so should be a quick win. Slightly odd it wasn't done at the same time as the hill to the west was dualled
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by RichardA35 »

Please keep posts relating to the A66 in that topic and maintain this one for discussion of the A303.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by solocle »

RichardA35 wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 20:27 Please keep posts relating to the A66 in that topic and maintain this one for discussion of the A303.
Thanks
In fairness the two roads do feel very similar in a lot of regards. A66 West of Penrith matches quite well with the Blackdowns section of the A303. The alternating sections of single and dual carriageway as a link between two motorways? Ditto.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by Vierwielen »

Herned wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 17:03
KeithW wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 13:37 Completion of dualling the A303 is an aspiration not a scheme, consider the variations we have seen for the route past Stonehenge alone.
National Highways call it a programme, which is partly semantics of course. But they do have it included in their pipeline of future schemes so it is in theory still live. The A1 motorway plans are not currently listed, so they are far less likely to see the light of day.

It's a strange segment, it will need barely any significant civil works to complete, perhaps a farm bridge or two, so should be a quick win. Slightly odd it wasn't done at the same time as the hill to the west was dualled
At the moment there is probably no commercial argument to justify dualling this section. Once everything else is dualled, it will become a bottleneck and then everybody will clamour for it to be dualled.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

RichardA35 wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 06:45
hoagy_ytfc wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 03:50 No, there is no such scheme.
I beg to differ. There is a scheme (and has been for a long time e.g. Wessex Link DBFO 1996) but not in this road investment period.

The question was about a scheme that's started construction surely? There is no such scheme.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by RichardA35 »

hoagy_ytfc wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 17:24
RichardA35 wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 06:45
hoagy_ytfc wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 03:50 No, there is no such scheme.
I beg to differ. There is a scheme (and has been for a long time e.g. Wessex Link DBFO 1996) but not in this road investment period.

The question was about a scheme that's started construction surely? There is no such scheme.
It all depends how you define "scheme" - as one that is in early stages of design and preparation or solely in construction. I think we both used different criteria.
NH/HE/HA (and other Clients/Promoters in other industries IME) have always defined a scheme once a problem has been identified and work has begun to establish a solution and the early design and preparation starts to expend money.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by hoagy_ytfc »

RichardA35 wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 17:36 It all depends how you define "scheme" - as one that is in early stages of design and preparation or solely in construction.
Which of these makes sense in the context of the question about work starting on clearance? The one I used, surely?
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by SteveA30 »

No need to get bogged down in semantics, I just wondered why a strip of woodland is being cleared next to the A303. If it isn't for dualling then, what? A pipeline perhaps? Tree clearance ahead of new environmental restrictions coming in perhaps?
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by Herned »

Coincidence. It looks like a plantation, so being felled for commercial reasons is most likely.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by KeithW »

A quick search this morning found this document with regard to Wylye to Stockton Wood which is a feasibility study.
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.u ... -scope.pdf

The intent seems to have been to identify the options then prioritise them and decide which if any should proceed.

This document has a list of potential schemes for the A303 one of which is Wylye to Stockton Road
https://assets.highwaysengland.co.uk/ro ... 0-2018.pdf

It includes the following statement.
https://assets.highwaysengland.co.uk/roads/road-projects/A303-A358/A303+Creating+an+Expressway+to+the+South+West+01-10-2018.pdf wrote: A303 Wylye to Stockton Wood
Scheme to upgrade around 2.5 miles (4 km)
of single carriageway to dual carriageway.
Expected to be included in a future
road investment period.
So at the moment its a potential scheme but has not been allocated to a specific RIS. At least its on the radar.
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Re: Why the A303 will probably never become a motorway and won't be fully dualled for a long time

Post by Vierwielen »

hoagy_ytfc wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 17:24
RichardA35 wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 06:45
hoagy_ytfc wrote: Sun Jan 22, 2023 03:50 No, there is no such scheme.
I beg to differ. There is a scheme (and has been for a long time e.g. Wessex Link DBFO 1996) but not in this road investment period.

The question was about a scheme that's started construction surely? There is no such scheme.
The scheme was certainly promised about twenty years ago by a guy who had two Jaguars. Forget his name. :laugh:
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