The A3 is a trunk road in Southern England, connecting London to Portsmouth.
Originally the London to Portsmouth road passed through numerous towns and villages - including Kingston-upon-Thames, Esher, Guildford, Godalming, Petersfield, Send and Havant, but a programme of road improvements starting in the 1930s has transformed the road so that is now predominantly a two or three lane dual carriageway.
All the main towns have been by-passed, but a short stretch of single carriageway road remains in the vicinity of Hindhead and the Devil's Punch Bowl beauty spot. The road is heavily used by commuters and long queues build up at Hindhead, about 8 miles (13 km) south-west of Guildford, particularly during the morning peak hours. A 1.9 km tunnel under Hindhead Common is planned, subject to a Public Enquiry, with construction timetabled for 2005 to 2010. This will improve the last remaining single carriageway section of the A3 outside of London and Portsmouth to dual carriageway.
All junctions on the A3 are also being upgraded to slip roads, with bridges replacing crossroads and roundabouts.
In London the South Circular Road merges with the A3 for a while.
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