A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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Chris5156
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Chris5156 »

Richardf wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:28 Been looking at the Wylye to Mere section, and while the bit between Wylye and Chicklade seems easy enough, the next bit from Chicklade to Mere certainly isnt!. Any ideas as to how it couldbe done? I wondered if an offline route from the end of the current DC and roughly following the route of the B3089, bypassing Hindon and rejoining the current route at Willoghby Hedge might work? Although i suspect NH/HMG would want a cheaper online route as much as possible i suspect. Still no easy options around Chicklade itself though!
I don't think there's any particularly difficult engineering problem with a northern bypass of Chicklade, following the curve at the end of the dual carriageway, arcing around the north side of the village and rejoining the present A303 east of the A350 junction. The rest of the route could be largely on-line. The land slopes upwards to the north of Chicklade, but not nearly steeply enough to present any problems if you decided to put a road there.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Herned »

The boreholes which have been drilled previously go around the south of Chicklade, with the rest being pretty much online from the top of the hill up from the village
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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Richardf wrote: Sun Sep 05, 2021 10:28 Been looking at the Wylye to Mere section, and while the bit between Wylye and Chicklade seems easy enough, the next bit from Chicklade to Mere certainly isnt!. Any ideas as to how it couldbe done? I wondered if an offline route from the end of the current DC and roughly following the route of the B3089, bypassing Hindon and rejoining the current route at Willoghby Hedge might work? Although i suspect NH/HMG would want a cheaper online route as much as possible i suspect. Still no easy options around Chicklade itself though!
This route takes into account topography of the area. Would likely need a climbing lane on the hill heading East from Mere
A303 Mere-Chicklade.jpg
The section that would link to the A350, could be brought in closer to the existing road
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by roadphotos »

Work has now started on the A303 Sparkford Dualling Scheme, it is due to open in 2024.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by ryzzey »

roadphotos wrote: Fri Oct 01, 2021 23:37 Work has now started on the A303 Sparkford Dualling Scheme, it is due to open in 2024.
Yes it started in August, some photos on the previous page of this thread of the machinery etc on site. Drove past the other day and noticed they've started to dig the new alignment through some of the fields.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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Last edited by SteveA30 on Wed Dec 29, 2021 07:05, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by ryzzey »

I do feel sorry for the petrol station and diner as they are going to be completely cut off from the A303 and will essentially be at the end of a dead-end road. To get to them will take a long diversion from the dual carriageway through junctions and roundabouts.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

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Last edited by SteveA30 on Wed Dec 29, 2021 07:05, edited 1 time in total.
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A303Chris
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by A303Chris »

Drove through last week on the way to a five day beak on the Lizard. Was quite surprised with the amount of work undertaken so far.
Brought a tear to my eye, first major scheme to start on the A303 for over 25 years.

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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Richardf »

Went through there this afternoon for the first time since work started. Lots of cones, some earthworks in places, in others nothing much at all. Still early days I guess, perhaps concentrating on junctions and bridges first maybe?

Looking forward to going that way in the weeks and months to come to see how things progress.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Richardf »

Looked again at the plans. Still don't really understand the odd junction layout at the Sparkford end. I'm sure a more straightforward dumbell or dumbell parclo hybrid would fit in and work just as well if not

The Yeovilton end is nearly as bad but given all the local roads joining there it makes more sense somehow.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Phil »

Richardf wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 10:09 Looked again at the plans. Still don't really understand the odd junction layout at the Sparkford end. I'm sure a more straightforward dumbell or dumbell parclo hybrid would fit in and work just as well if not

The Yeovilton end is nearly as bad but given all the local roads joining there it makes more sense somehow.
Whether something 'fits' on satellite imagery / maps totally ignores wider issues including landtake, buildability, visual intrusion and environmental issues. If you actually read all the documents submitted as part of the planning process it will become clear that the selected scheme is indeed the best 'fit' for the area.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Richardf »

Phil wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 12:15
Richardf wrote: Sun Nov 07, 2021 10:09 Looked again at the plans. Still don't really understand the odd junction layout at the Sparkford end. I'm sure a more straightforward dumbell or dumbell parclo hybrid would fit in and work just as well if not

The Yeovilton end is nearly as bad but given all the local roads joining there it makes more sense somehow.
Whether something 'fits' on satellite imagery / maps totally ignores wider issues including landtake, buildability, visual intrusion and environmental issues. If you actually read all the documents submitted as part of the planning process it will become clear that the selected scheme is indeed the best 'fit' for the area.
Don't think land use is the issue. Chosen design probably takes up just as much land as a simpler, higher quality dumbell junction would. The WB onslip needs a fair amount of space or it would be too tight a curve. No the main reason is cost and the need to connect as many local roads as possible into the junction.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Herned »

Richardf wrote: Mon Nov 08, 2021 19:03 Don't think land use is the issue. Chosen design probably takes up just as much land as a simpler, higher quality dumbell junction would. The WB onslip needs a fair amount of space or it would be too tight a curve. No the main reason is cost and the need to connect as many local roads as possible into the junction.
The land north of the roundabout is protected as a nature reserve or similar, so minimising land take to the north of the route was the driver for the junction layout
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by ROAD ROVER »

ryzzey wrote: Mon Nov 01, 2021 09:55 I do feel sorry for the petrol station and diner as they are going to be completely cut off from the A303 and will essentially be at the end of a dead-end road. To get to them will take a long diversion from the dual carriageway through junctions and roundabouts.
The little burger hut at Chicklade? That's been a traditional stop for me & mine for many years on the way to & back from the west country.
It will be an awful shame if it doesn't survive. Well worth a bit of a detour if needs be.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by ryzzey »

ROAD ROVER wrote: Tue Nov 09, 2021 06:39 The little burger hut at Chicklade? That's been a traditional stop for me & mine for many years on the way to & back from the west country.
It will be an awful shame if it doesn't survive. Well worth a bit of a detour if needs be.
This thread is about the Sparkford to Ilchester section of road so I am referring to Mattia Diner and Texaco fuel station near the Sparkford roundabout.
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by ROAD ROVER »

Ah, good show. :)
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

Feb 22 2022 or, 22-2-22. Latest on Sparkford to Podimore dualling. Still nothing at the Podimore end but, work has now reached the other end at Hazlegrove rbt, Sparkford. Tree clearance there.
Attachments
Heading east from Camel Cross
Heading east from Camel Cross
View from Mattia Diner
View from Mattia Diner
Looking west from Sparkford rbt. A303 to the left
Looking west from Sparkford rbt. A303 to the left
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by SteveA30 »

New photos above, 22-2-22
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Re: A303 Sparkford to Ilchester

Post by Herned »

Thanks for the photos. Are they slow getting going with this or am I just impatient?
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