Rudmore Roundabout

Rudmore Roundabout is junction 2 of the M275.

It was once the only British motorway junction not on mainland Britain (Tipner Interchange, just to the north has joined it). It is at the bottom of the M275, outside the Continental Ferry Port, for cross-channel ferries to Bilbao, Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre, Santander, St Helier, St Peter Port and St Malo.

Space was left for a flyover, which was opened on 3 Mar 1988. It is a 140 metre long, three-span flyover with two parallel decks. The cross-section of the outer edge of the flyover is 10 metres longer than the inner edge. It was described as "one of the most complex steel bridges in the country". Whale Island Way was added in the 1990s.

The opening of the flyover allowed for a modest extension of the short M275 motorway. Arguably there was another short extension in 2011 when a new exit for Trafalgar Gate was built, but a decision was taken not to make the extended road part of the motorway.

As befits its unusual location, this junction has a number of unusual features, including white signs on the northbound on-slip instructing HGVs to stay out of lane two, but not giving a reason why. This slip road also has a set of traffic lights half-way along it, allowing access from the ferry port. As originally proven by Pathetic Motorways, this entrance originally had no signs to forbid pedestrians from walking on to the motorway from Whale Island Way, despite this entrance having two VMS signs of its own. 'No pedestrians' signs were added in 2008, and motorway chopsticks were finally added in 2014.

Routes

Route	To	Notes
M275	Out of City (M27)
A3	Hilsea, Stamshaw, Mountbatten Centre, Greyhound Centre
A3	Central Southsea, City Centre, Isle of Wight Ferries
A2047	North End, Fratton	A2047 number not on signs
	Cross Channel Ferries, Albert Johnson Quay, Whale Island	Whale End Way

Links

legislation.gov.uk

• The County Council of Hampshire (M275 Rudmore Flyover Portsmouth) Motorway Scheme 1987 Confirmation Instrument 1987

• The Portsmouth City Council (M275 Northbound Motorway Slip Road) Scheme 1996 Confirmation Instrument 1997 - This provides for an access from the local road network onto the northbound "on" sliproad

• The Portsmouth City Council (M275 Northbound Motorway Slip Road) Scheme 1996 Confirmation Instrument 1997 - is this a duplicate of the above? It seems odd that one is 1996 and one is 1997 and both are no. 2683?