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A326

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A326
Cameraicon.png View gallery (2)
From:  Ower (SU330163)
To:  Holbury (SU440033)
Distance:  11.2 miles (18 km)
Meets:  A36, M27, A336, A35, B3054, B3053
Former Number(s):  B3053
Primary Destinations
Highway Authorities

Hampshire

Traditional Counties

Hampshire

Route outline (key)
A326 Ower - Fawley
This article is about the current A326 between Ower and Fawley, near Southampton.
For the original A326 which ran from Farnham to Sheet, now part of the A325, see A326 (Farnham - Sheet)
.


The A326 came into being between January 1971 and May 1972 as a new road replacing the B3053 to serve Fawley Oil Refinery, in conjunction with the old railway branch line being taking out of general service.

In the mid nineties, the A326 was extended north to meet the M27 and A36 near Ower. It follows the Totton Western Bypass on a nice dual section, before reducing to single carriageway as it meets the A336 on a roundabout. A mile or so later, it widens back up to dual as it passes under the A35 at a limited access junction. There is no access from the westbound A35 as this runs on a spur to the east (along the 1970s line of the A326), which meets the A326 just as the dual carriageway runs out.

Hythe bypass

The A326 continues as single carriageway, though quite wide, although the dominance of tankers along this road can easily hold up traffic. It wanders through woodland past Marchwood until it meets the old road to Hythe at a roundabout. From here it heads alongside the edge of the New Forest where it meets the B3054 to Beaulieu, and collects the old Hythe road shortly afterwards.

The final section of road runs through the villages of Hardley and Holbury, where the view of the oil terminal is cunningly disguised behind large hedges. The actual terminus of the A326 is a bit ambiguous. Maps and signage now seems to claim that the end is at the next roundabout - but as late as the 1990s the road apparently continued ahead into Fawley itself and enter the refinery just after passing the church. Regardless, the road ahead is soon the remaining section of the B3053, which continues all the way to Calshot - good for sailing and kite flying.

Original Author(s): Ritchie Swann

History

For the bypass openings between Rushingdon and Fawley whilst the road was B3053 see B3053.




A326
Junctions
Roads
Places
Related Pictures
View gallery (2)
The A326 Marchwood Bypass - Geograph - 886700.jpgHythe by-pass, A326 (C) Alex McGregor - Geograph - 2357980.jpg
Other nearby roads
Southampton
NCN2 • NCN23 • NCN236 • NCN288 • A27 • A33 • A35 • A36 • A36(M) • A334 • A335 • A336 • A3024 • A3025 • A3035 • A3057 • A3067 • A3120 • B3033 • B3035 • B3036 • B3038 • B3039 • B3040 (Central Southampton) • B3040 (Southampton Common - Bitterne) • B3041 (Southampton) • B3042 (Hampshire) • B3053 • B3057 (Southampton) • B3380 (Southampton) • B3397 • C20 (Southampton) • C68 (Southampton) • C69 (Southampton) • C74 (Southampton) • C351 (Southampton) • C500 (Southampton) • C501 (Southampton) • C502 (Southampton) • C503 (Southampton) • C504 (Southampton) • C505 (Southampton) • C506 (Southampton) • E1 (Old System) • E05 • M3 • M27 • M270 • M271 • M272 • T7 (Britain) • T37 (Britain) • T39 (Britain) • Townhill Link Motorway
A300-A399
A300 • A301 • A302 • A303 • A304 • A305 • A306 • A307 • A308 • A309 • A310 • A311 • A312 • A313 • A314 • A315 • A316 • A317 • A318 • A319
A320 • A321 • A322 • A323 • A324 • A325 • A326 • A327 • A328 • A329 • A330 • A331 • A332 • A333 • A334 • A335 • A336 • A337 • A338 • A339
A340 • A341 • A342 • A343 • A344 • A345 • A346 • A347 • A348 • A349 • A350 • A351 • A352 • A353 • A354 • A355 • A356 • A357 • A358 • A359
A360 • A361 • A362 • A363 • A364 • A365 • A366 • A367 • A368 • A369 • A370 • A371 • A372 • A373 • A374 • A375 • A376 • A377 • A378 • A379
A380 • A381 • A382 • A383 • A384 • A385 • A386 • A387 • A388 • A389 • A390 • A391 • A392 • A393 • A394 • A395 • A396 • A397 • A398 • A399
St Peters Way  Motorways: A308(M) • A329(M)  Earlier Itineraries: A303 • A326 • A331 • A333 • A341 • A346 • A355 • A364 • A369 • A374 • A378 • A392 • A397


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