A33 road

Coordinates: 51°11′54″N 1°11′54″W / 51.19844°N 1.19837°W / 51.19844; -1.19837
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A33 shield
A33
A33, Spencers Wood.jpg
The A33 near Spencers Wood just south of Reading
Section 1
Length16.4 mi[1] (26.4 km)
North end A329 in Reading
Major intersections A4 in Reading
M4 in Reading
South end A339 in Basingstoke
Section 2
Length9.8 mi[2] (15.8 km)
North end A30 near North Waltham
Southern end A34 near Winchester
Section 3
Length7.7 mi[3] (12.4 km)
North end A27 near Chilworth
South end M271 / A35 in Southampton
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
CountiesBerkshire
Hampshire
Primary
destinations
Basingstoke
Winchester
Road network
A32 A34

The A33 is a major road in the counties of Berkshire and Hampshire in southern England. The road currently runs in three disjoint sections.

Route[edit]

Reading–Basingstoke[edit]

The first stretch of the A33 is a relatively new road, built as the A33 relief road, which starts on the Inner Distribution Road and bypasses most of suburban Reading, servicing the Kennet Island residential development, Madejski Stadium and Green Park Business Park, towards the M4, where it connects at junction 11. The first stretch of this road follows the route of the old Coley branch railway, including a passage under the railway era bridge carrying Berkeley Avenue. A two-year redevelopment scheme ran from early 2008 until late 2010, widening the northern section of the dual carriageway and significantly expanding and improving the motorway junction. The Mereoak Roundabout south of the motorway was replaced with two separate junctions with traffic lights.[4][5]

The section south of the M4 is dual carriageway up to the county boundary with Hampshire, where it reverts to single carriageway towards Basingstoke.[6]

Basingstoke–Winchester[edit]

The second section of the A33 starts near Popham, southwest of Basingstoke at a junction with the A30. The road from here to Winchester is a scenic mix of single and dual carriageway, that was progressively improved in the late 1960s.[7] The route runs through much of the borough of Basingstoke and Deane. At Kings Worthy, the road diverts onto part of the original Winchester Bypass, constructed in the late 1930s,[8] up to the A34.

Southampton[edit]

The third section of A33 starts at the Chilworth Roundabout, a junction with the A27 and M3, and runs south into the centre of Southampton and further south to Ocean Village. It then turns west and into dual carriageway at a roundabout near the Isle of Wight ferry terminal, past the docks and through Town Quay to run along West Quay Road, continuing past Leisure World and Ikea (which is partially responsible for congestion on the road and immediate surroundings due to its popularity, particularly on weekends). The A33 then bears left slightly to carry on along the Millbrook Road West dual carriageway to meet the M271 and A35 at Redbridge Flyover.

History[edit]

The A33 originally started at a junction with what was the A32 at Riseley Common and was a continuous route to Southampton[9] Between Basingstoke and Southampton, it mostly followed the course of the historic Roman Road between these towns.[10] This section of the route became part of the London–Southampton Trunk Road.[11] The road was progressively detrunked as the M3 was extended.

The Winchester Bypass was constructed in the mid-1930s. While a significant improvement at the time, as other parts of the road were improved around it, it became increasingly ineffective and dangerous. The bypass was subsequently replaced by the completion of the M3 over Twyford Down, which generated a significant road protest.

Junction list[edit]

Reading-Basingstoke[edit]

CountyLocationmi[12]kmDestinationsNotes
BerkshireReading0.00.0 A329 to M4 east / A329(M) / A4155 – Caversham, Henley, MaidenheadNorthern terminus
0.40.64 Rose Kiln Lane to A4 / M4 east / A34 – Newbury, Oxford
2.84.5 M4 – London, South WalesM4 junction 11
HampshireBasingstoke15.124.3 A339 (Ring Road) / Faraday Road / Norn Hill / Oakridge Road to M3 / A340 – Town centre, Alton, Newbury, Aldermaston, Old Basing, OakridgeSouthern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Basingstoke-Winchester[edit]

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
HampshireNorth WalthamDummer boundary0.00.0 A30 (Stockbridge Road) to M3 / A303 – Salisbury, Andover, London, BasingstokeNorthern terminus
Headbourne Worthy9.815.8 A34 southSouthern terminus; access only from A33 to A34 south and from A34 north to A33
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Southampton[edit]

CountyLocationmikmDestinationsNotes
HampshireSouthamptonChilworth boundary0.00.0 M3 north-east / A27 (Basset Green Road / Chilworth Road) to A335 – London, Eastleigh, Winchester, Romsey, Chilworth, North Baddesley, Swaythling, Southampton AirportNorthern terminus
Southampton0.8–
1.1
1.3–
1.8
A35 (Burgess Road / Winchester Road)
1.21.9Highfield Avenue (A3035 south-east) – Portswood, BitterneDestinations signed southbound only; north-western terminus of A3035
2.84.5 A335 north – Eastleigh, PortwoodAccess only from A33 north to A335 north and from A335 south to A33 south; southern terminus of A335
2.94.7Ring Road west (A3024 west)Northern terminus of A3024 concurrency
3.25.1 A3024 east / New Road to M27 – Fareham, PortsmouthSouthern terminus of A3024 concurrency
3.86.1Itchen Bridge (A3025 east) – WoolstonToll bridge; western terminus of A3025
5.2–
5.4
8.4–
8.7
City centre (A3024 east / A3057 north-west)Western terminus of A3024; south-eastern terminus of A3057
Shirley, PortswoodGrade-separated junction; northbound exit and southbound entrance
6.9–
7.4
11.1–
11.9
Dock Gate 20 (A35 east)Grade-separated junction; northern terminus of A35 concurrency
7.712.4 M271 north / A35 west to M27 / A326 – The West, Lyndhurst, Totton, London, Winchester, FawleySouthern terminus of A35 concurrency; southern terminus of M271; Southern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Directions from A329 Reading Inner Distribution Road to A339 Basingstoke Ringway North". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Directions from A30 Stockbridge Road to A34 Winchester Northern Bypass". Google Maps. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Chilworth Roundabout, Southampton SO16 3NF, UK to Titanic's Plaque, Southampton SO14 3FU, United Kingdom to Southampton SO15 0ND, UK". Google Maps. Alphabet Inc. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Reading's Lost Railway". The Whitley Pump. 4 September 2015. Archived from the original on 9 August 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
  5. ^ "M4 Junction 11 Improvements". Reading Borough Council. Archived from the original on 23 December 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  6. ^ Hunter, Andrew (13 March 1989). "Roads (Hampshire)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard).
  7. ^ "Road Programme". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 17 January 1968. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  8. ^ Burgin, Edward (28 July 1937). "Basingstoke – Winchester Road". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  9. ^ "List of Class I and Class II Roads and Numbers". HMSO. 1923. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  10. ^ "Half Inch MOT Map Sheets 33 and 38". Ordnance Survey. 1923. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  11. ^ Lucas, George (30 January 1951). "Road Accidents". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 23 January 2013. The London—Southampton road, trunk roads A30 and A33—it is only 63 miles, because it starts outside London and, as in the other cases, does not include the county borough stretches
  12. ^ "Reading RG1 6QL, UK to Basingstoke, UK". Google Maps. Alphabet Inc. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  13. ^ "A30 to Winchester". Google Maps. Alphabet Inc. Retrieved 27 November 2023.

External links[edit]

51°11′54″N 1°11′54″W / 51.19844°N 1.19837°W / 51.19844; -1.19837