Bar End Interchange

Bar End Interchange is junction 10 of the M3, where the A31 from Alton merges. It also forms the main access point for Winchester.

It only has south-facing sliproads, meaning a lot of Winchester traffic has to be sent through here and on to J9.

The junction is immediately north of Twyford Down, which causes the sliproads to have steep gradients.

History

The junction marks the point where the A33 Winchester Bypass veered west to avoid St Catherine's Hill - this can still be seen in an aerial photo. Bar End Road met the bypass at a crossroads, which was later upgraded to a pair of LILOs linked by a flyover. With this upgrade, it became one of the main routes into Winchester, and Bar End Road became part of the A272.

In 1985 the road north of here was upgraded to motorway, and as part of the project the A31 was introduced to the junction (previously it entered Winchester by crossing Spitfire Bridge). The A31 ran along the old alignment of the Bypass and met the junction at what is now the northern roundabout, but at the time it was south of the new road.

In 1995 the final section of the M3 was completed, resulting in the current layout. As part of this project, a TOTSO was created on Bar End Road where it diverts to meet the new junction. The A272 was downgraded to B3330. The western roundabout was signalised in 2004.

One of the rejected options for the M3 upgrade would have run slightly north of here, with a large roundabout interchange being built instead. A new road would have run on a similar route to the old railway, straight to the city centre.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M3	The MIDLANDS, London, Basingstoke
M3	Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth
A31	Alton, Petersfield (A272), London (A33) (M3), Newbury (A34)	Only Alton is signposted from the motorway.
B3330	Winchester (City Centre)
A33	London, Basingstoke, Newbury (A34)	Part of the Winchester Bypass.
A33	Southampton, Eastleigh, Bournemouth	Last remaining section of the Winchester Bypass.

Links

• Roads.org.uk: Bad Junctions