A23
A23 | ||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | ||||||||||
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From: | London (TQ311794) | |||||||||
To: | Brighton (TQ313038) | |||||||||
Distance: | 52 miles (83.7 km) | |||||||||
Meets: | A302, B300, A3203, A3204, A3, A202, A203, A2217, A204, A205, B221, A214, A216, B272, B273, A235, A236, A232, B271, B275, A2022, A22, B2030, B2032, A237, B276, M23, B2031, A242, A25, A2044, B2036, A217, A2011, A2219, A2220, A2004, A264, B2114, B2110, B2115, A272, A2300, B2118, B2117, A281, A273, A27, A270, B2119, B2066, B2118, A259 | |||||||||
Former Number(s): | A22 | |||||||||
Primary Destinations | ||||||||||
Brighton • Reigate • Crawley • Gatwick Airport • Westminster • Croydon • Central London • London • Brixton | ||||||||||
Highway Authorities | ||||||||||
National Highways • Transport for London • Brighton and Hove • Lambeth • Surrey • West Sussex | ||||||||||
Traditional Counties | ||||||||||
Route outline (key) | ||||||||||
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Route
The A23 is the London to Brighton road. Starting in Lambeth, it passes the various South London suburbs like Brixton, Streatham and Croydon before becoming non-primary at Hooley. It then goes though Redhill, passes Gatwick Airport and Crawley before resuming Trunk status at Pease Pottage Interchange before the run to Brighton where it ends on the Seafront on a roundabout with the A259. Part of the road is also in the South Downs National Park.
History
Unlike many of the First 99 that start in London, the A23's northern end has not really changed since Classification, although the section as far as Purley was originally numbered A22. The southern end has seen much more work. Today it is mostly D3 south of the M23 and an bypass of Crawley.
In 1956 to 1958 the A23 was rerouted around the east edge of Gatwick Airport which was being much expanded from the small prewar airport. Previously the A23 ran straight from Povey Cross to Lowfield Heath across where the airport is now.
Notable locations and improvements
Hooley Interchange
The Hooley Interchange is where the A23 finally loses trunk status to the M23. Due to the failure of the Ringway Project, today the M23 ends here instead of further north.
Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport has been a major destination for the A23 since 1935 with the original Beehive Terminal. It was upgraded in 1958 to become London's second airport. Today Gatwick is the world's busiest single runway Airport.
Handcross - Warninglid
Main Article: A23/Handcross - Warninglid
From Spring 2012 to October 2014, this winding D2 section was improved to modern D3 standard, and the Slaugham junction was closed, with improved junctions at Handcross and minor changes at Warninglid. Plans in the 1990s included a fourth lane up the hill northbound, though three lanes each way was chosen. Preparatory works started in October 2011 with the works finishing in 2014.
Patcham interchange
The Patcham Interchange is the last GSJ of the A23. Built in the early 1990's for the A27 upgrade, it is a poorly designed junction built into a small valley.
Opening dates
Month | Year | Section | Notes |
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1925 | Patcham Bypass | ||
December | 1991 | Sayers Common and Albourne Bypass | Dual carriageway Bypass. |
2009 | Coulsdon Relief Road | Dual carriageway Bypass. | |
5 October | 2014 | Handcross - Warninglid | Widening. |
Links
Roads.org.uk
Roads UK
National Highways