A3 and A3(M)

The A3 is the historic route south-west from London to Portsmouth, connecting the capital with the home of the navy.

Upgrades have been happening to it since the early part of the 20th Century, but since the 1960s, it has been turned into a near-motorway (in fact, at one time there were plans afoot to renumber M3 as M30 to free up that number for a fully upgraded A3).

However, appearances are deceptive - the Esher Bypass, which is a full motorway formation, is the exception and much of the route has occasional right-turns. Until 2011, of course, Hindhead formed the most notorious bottleneck - the one place the road returned to a single-carriageway, snaking through a village, protected National Trust woodland and a set of traffic lights. After five years of work, a tunnel under the Site of Special Scientific Interest closed the gap that had prevented this route from reaching its full potential for so long.

The short blue line at the Portsmouth end of the A3 is an entirely isolated motorway, rather like the M2. This one just bypasses a nasty bit of the A3 through Waterlooville and Horndean, though it does it in considerable style in comparison to the rest of the route, which is almost motorway standard but certainly not a motorway.

The M27 stops just four miles short of reaching the A3(M), throughout which it is four lanes wide, grade separated and has very nearly full width hard shoulders. Despite some pieces of road (like the A57(M) or Chiswick flyover section of M4) being a long way below this standard, the fact that its hard shoulders are a few inches too narrow is apparently the official reason for its reluctance to turn blue.

The A3(M)'s number gives you a headache if you think about it too long. It implies that this is a section of the A3 with motorway restrictions. However, running parallel through Waterlooville is the A3. So that means... two A3's? Erm...

You're not looking at the whole A3 and A3(M)

This page is about the parts of the A3 and A3(M) that are designated a motorway or that have motorway characteristics. Other sections of this road will not be featured here and will not count towards the length of the road as shown below.

Start

London

End

Portsmouth

Passes

Kingston, Guildford, Petersfield

Connects to
Length

62 miles

Click a section name to see its full details, or click a map symbol on the right to see all motorways opened in that year.

Completed Name Start End
Horndean and Waterlooville Bypass J1 Horndean J5 Broadmarsh Chronology map for 1979

Exit list

Symbols and conventions are explained in the key to exit lists. You can click any junction to see its full details.

Some minor side turnings and property accesses don't appear here.

Junction   Northbound               Southbound  
Central London
Wandsworth
A3
NORTH
A3
Beaumont Road
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
0.25 miles, 3 lanes 0.25 miles, 3 lanes
Hammersmith
Fulham
Putney
Wimbledon
Merton Park
A219
A219 A219 Fulham
Putney
Wimbledon
Merton Park
A219
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
0.5 miles, 3 lanes 0.5 miles, 3 lanes
Richmond
Roehampton
A306
A306 Richmond
Roehampton
A306
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
0.5 miles, 3 lanes 0.5 miles, 3 lanes
Putney Vale Putney Vale
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
0.5 miles, 2 lanes 0.5 miles, 2 lanes
Kingston-upon-Thames
A308
A308 Kingston-upon-Thames
A308
LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanes
0.5 miles, 2 lanes 0.5 miles, 2 lanes
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
1 mile, 3 lanes 1 mile, 3 lanes
Kingston
Wimbledon
Merton Park
Raynes Park
A238
A238 A238 Kingston
Wimbledon
Merton Park
Raynes Park
A238
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 3 lanes 1 mile, 3 lanes
Wimbledon
A298

A298
Wimbledon (A298)
Raynes Park
New Malden (B282)
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
0.1 miles, 3 lanes 0.1 miles, 3 lanes
New Malden
Raynes Park
B282
B282

B282

LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
0.5 miles, 3 lanes 0.5 miles, 3 lanes
New Malden
Worcester Park
A2043
A2043 A2043 New Malden
Worcester Park
A2043
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
2.5 miles, 3 lanes 2.5 miles, 3 lanes
Kingston-upon-Thames
Reigate
Sutton
Epsom
A240
A240 A240 Kingston-upon-Thames
Reigate
Sutton
Epsom
A240
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 3 lanes 1 mile, 3 lanes
0.0 km A243


A309
A243



Dorking
Leatherhead
A243
Staines
Esher
A309
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
1 mile, 2 lanes  
1.3 km
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
2.5 miles, 3 lanes 3.5 miles, 3 lanes
5.7 km Esher
Leatherhead
A244
A244 A244 Esher
Leatherhead
A244
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
3 miles, 3 lanes 3 miles, 3 lanes
10.6 km Walton
A245 (B365)
Esher (A307)
Cobham
Byfleet
Weybridge
A245
(B365)
A245 Woking A245
Walton (B365)
Cobham
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 3 lanes 1.5 miles, 3 lanes
12.8 km Gatwick Airport (M23 Link)
Heathrow Airport (M4 Link)
Dartford & M20 Link
The NORTH (M1 Link)
M25 Link
M25 M25 Gatwick Airport (M23 Link)
Heathrow Airport (M4 Link)
Dartford & M20 Link
The NORTH (M1 Link)
M25 Link
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 3 lanes  
14.4 km Wisley
Wisley Common
RHS Garden Wisley
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 3 lanes 1.5 miles, 3 lanes
15.1 km B2215
(A247)
B2039 Ockham B2039
Ripley B2215
Send (A247)
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
  1 mile, 3 lanes
17 km Services Wisley Services Wisley
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 3 lanes  
20.2 km Ripley B2215
Woking
Dorking
A247
B2215
A247


A247
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
4.5 miles, 3 lanes 4.5 miles, 3 lanes
21.6 km A3100 Merrow
Burpham
A3100
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
   
22.5 km A3100
  2 miles, 3 lanes
24.9 km A320 A25
A320
A25
Horsham (A281)
Bagshot
Guildford
(A322)
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
0.5 miles, 2 lanes  
26.4 km Dorking A25
Bagshot
Guildford
A322
Woking (A320)
A322
(A323)
A25
LanesLanesLanesLanes
0.5 miles, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
27.4 km Hospitals
Research Park
Park Barn
Onslow Village
University
Hospitals
Onslow Village
Guildford Centre
Research Park
Park Barn
University
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
0.5 miles, 2 lanes 0.4 miles, 2 lanes
27.9 km Wilderness Road
LanesLanesLanesLanes
  0.1 miles, 2 lanes
28.8 km Beechcroft Drive
Manor Way
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 0.5 miles, 2 lanes
29.5 km A31 A31 Farnham
Aldershot (A331)
A31
Signs LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
  1 mile, 2 lanes
Godalming
Farnham
B3000 (A31)

B3000
(A31)
B3000

Godalming
Farnham
Compton
Puttenham
B3000
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 1.5 miles, 2 lanes
Hurtmore
Norney
Shackleford
Hurtmore
Norney
Shackleford
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 1.5 miles, 2 lanes
Milford A283
Godalming
(A3100)
Elstead
B3001


B3001


A283
(A286)
(A3100)
Eashing
Services Eashing
Milford
Petworth A283
Haslemere (A286)
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes  
A3100
   
Borough Farm Road
LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
Brook
LanesLanesLanesLanes
  1 mile, 2 lanes
Bowlhead Green
Thursley
Thursley
Bowlhead Green
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
3.5 miles, 2 lanes  
Hindhead Tunnel Hindhead Tunnel
Signs Signs
  3.5 miles, 2 lanes
Hindhead
Grayshott
A333
A333
(A287)
Hindhead
Grayshott
A333
Haslemere
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
38.6 km Bramshott Chase Access only
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
35.5 km Liphook
Haslemere
B2131
B2131 Liphook
B2131
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
33.8 km Services Liphook Services Liphook
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
0.85 miles, 2 lanes 0.85 miles, 2 lanes
32.5 km Griggs Green Griggs Green
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 1.5 miles, 2 lanes
29.8 km Farnham
Bordon
A325
Greatham
A325 Farnham
Bordon
A325
Greatham
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 1.5 miles, 2 lanes
27.3 km Selborne B3006
Liss B3006
B3006 B3006 Liss B3006
Selborne B3006
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 1.5 miles, 2 lanes
24.6 km Liss Liss
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
21.9 km Petersfield
Midhurst
A272
A272 Petersfield
Midhurst
A272
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1.5 miles, 2 lanes 1.5 miles, 2 lanes
19.6 km Winchester
A272
Alton (A32)
A272
(A32)
Winchester
A272
Alton (A32)
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
16.8 km Petersfield
B2070
Buriton
B2070 Buriton
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2.5 miles, 2 lanes 2.5 miles, 2 lanes
12.5 km Clanfield
Chalton
Clanfield
Chalton
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
1
9.0 km
A3(M) becomes A3

A3
A3 becomes A3(M)
Horndean
A3
Signs LanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
1 mile, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
2
7.6 km
Horndean
Lovedean
B2149
B2149 B2149 Havant
Lovedean
B2149
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
2 miles, 2 lanes 2 miles, 2 lanes
3
3.8 km
Waterlooville
Denmead
B2150
B2150 B2150 Waterlooville
Havant
B2150
LanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 2 lanes 1 mile, 2 lanes
4
2.3 km
Widley
Havant
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes
1 mile, 3 lanes 1 mile, 3 lanes
5
0.0 km
N/A A2030




A27




SOUTH
B2177




A27


Portsmouth
Fareham
A27 (M27 Link)
Drayton
Cosham
A2030
Chichester (A27)
LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs LanesLanesLanesLanesLanes Signs
Routes

Picture credits

With thanks to Matthew Smith, Andy, Mark Baker, Ritchie Swann and Robert Bollen for information on this page.

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