A3 road

A3 shield
A3
Route information
Length72 mi (116 km)
Major junctions
North-east endCity of London
51°30′39″N 0°05′12″W / 51.5108°N 0.0866°W / 51.5108; -0.0866 (A3 road (northern end))
Major intersections A2
A23
A24
A205
M25
A31
A3(M)
A27
M27
M275
South-west endPortsmouth Harbour
50°47′30″N 1°06′31″W / 50.7918°N 1.1086°W / 50.7918; -1.1086 (A3 road (southern end))
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
Primary
destinations
Kingston upon Thames
Guildford
Petersfield
Road network
A2 A4

The A3, known as the Portsmouth Road or London Road in sections, is a major road connecting the City of London and Portsmouth passing close to Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield. For much of its 67-mile (108 km) length, it is classified as a trunk road and therefore managed by National Highways. Almost all of the road has been built to dual carriageway standards or wider. Apart from bypass sections in London, the road travels in a southwest direction and, after Liss, south-southwest.

Close to its southerly end, motorway traffic is routed via the A3(M), then either the east–west A27 or the Portsmouth-only M275 which has multiple lanes leading off the westbound A27 — for non-motorway traffic, the A3 continues into Portsmouth alongside the A3(M), mostly as a single carriageway in each direction through Waterlooville and adjoining small towns. The other section of single carriageways is through the urban environs of Battersea, Clapham and Stockwell towards the northern end, which has to accommodate bus lanes and parking meter bays.

multi-carriageway road with vehicles passing under an elevated roadway and distant view of sea beyond
The A3(M) at the Portsdown Hill Road Bridge nearing Junction 5 with the A27
taken from a vehicle, a three-lane road with light traffic passing through wooded area
Northbound near the Wisley Interchange with the M25