A288
A288 | |||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||
| |||||||
From: | Hilsea (SU654042) | ||||||
To: | Portsmouth (SZ638999) | ||||||
Via: | Southsea | ||||||
Distance: | 6.4 miles (10.3 km) | ||||||
Meets: | A2047, A2030, A3 | ||||||
Former Number(s): | A2011 | ||||||
Primary Destinations | |||||||
Highway Authorities | |||||||
Traditional Counties | |||||||
Route outline (key) | |||||||
|
Route
When the roads were first numbered in 1922, the numbers A289-A299 were not allocated, zone 2 being a rather small one. One rather suspects that the A288 number was allocated to this road just for the hell of it, because it's right on the edge of the zone and takes quite a circuitous route, entirely on Portsea Island.
Hilsea - Portsmouth
The road starts at a gyratory on the A2047, just to the south of Paulsgrove Interchange which artificially connects Portsmouth to the mainland. From here, the A288 starts its journey in to the centre of Portsmouth by a rather roundabout route. Its main length, running through Hilsea and Copnor, is called Copnor Road. It's flanked on both sides by rather dreary suburban houses for much of its length.
Half way down, soon after going over the railway line, the road splits to become two S1 roads with parallel parking, just to make things a bit more interesting. It continues down past St Mary's Hospital, the ground of Portsmouth FC at Fratton Park and meets the A2030 at a former roundabout junction (now signalised crossroads). The A2030 stays with us for a short distance.
At Southsea seafront the starts heading west, before running on the landward side of Southsea Common. The official line of the A288 then TOTSOs right to stay on the edge of the Common, rather than taking the more obvious unclassified road across a corner of it. Both reach Pier Road, the former at a T-junction, the latter at a roundabout.
The A288 used to end on the A2011 Pier Road but it has now taken over that road's entire length. The road therefore splits, heading south to Clarence Pier and north for a longer distance to end at another one way loop with two roads we should know well by now - the A3 and A2030.
Original Author(s): Guy Barry