Long Drive: A303 & A30 - M3 (Basingstoke) to M5 (Exeter)

[@robertallen3441]

1:36:00 Always seemed odd that the A303 just ends when the old A30 joins, its not even at a proper junction. Not sure of the history of either road, but assume the A30 was there before the A303. Why was the 303 not numbered 30 and the old A30 downgraded and renumbered?

[@DriveCamUK]

So the A303 wasn't in the original roads list. The A30 was the number given to the historic coaching route that ran through Basingstoke, Andover, Shrewsbury, Yeovil, Chard etc. then onwards to Exeter and beyond which was the main route. The A303 was then designated from a load of mainly B-roads about 10 years after the initial roads list - and then upgraded to a trunk road in the 1950s, when it was presumably considered easier to upgrade, only passing through a small number of settlements. So yes, the A30 was there first, and A303 became the dominant route later. Really they ought to be switched round, but the cost of replacing all the signs probably isn't worth it.

[@theoldfunker]

I have never had a run like that before, tractors, caravans and road works,snow and floods I hate the drive just to visit Family.

[@chinnyvision]

Now I can relive the misery on KZbin..........

[@Loveapug1234]

🤣🤣🤣 Top comment!!! Happy new year 👍👍👍

[@radoll8404]

Will be more interesting to watch forest for more than 1h?