M3 Motorway
Road of the United Kingdom
Length	58. The United Kingdom Road Network is an extensive network of routes connecting its settlements The network is of varied quality and capacity The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located 6 miles (94. 3 km)
Direction	Northeast - Southwest
Start	Sunbury-on-Thames (A316)
Primary destinations	Staines Bracknell Basingstoke Winchester
End	Southampton (M27)
Construction dates	1971 - 1995
Motorways joined	2 - M25 motorway 14 - M27 motorway
Euroroute(s)	E 05

The M3 motorway at East Stratton

Southern end of the M3 motorway, meeting the A33 at Southampton

The M3 motorway is a motorway in Hampshire and Surrey, England. Motorway is a term for both a type of Road and a classification or designation Wildlife Hampshire has wildlife typical of the island of Great Britain Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland It runs from Sunbury-on-Thames to Southampton and is approximately 59 miles (95 km) long. Sunbury-on-Thames (also known as Sunbury)is a London commuter belt town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne in England. Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The motorway was built to relieve traffic on the A30 and A33, the congested single carriageway trunk roads that previously carried the traffic. The A30 is an old Trunk road (main road which runs from central London to Land's End, the westernmost point of the mainland of southern Great Britain ( though The A33 is a major Road in England. The road formerly ran from Reading to Southampton, but now consists of three disjoint sections Part of this motorway forms a section of European route E5 – these are not signed in the United Kingdom. The E05 or E5 is part of the United Nations International E-road network. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Route

The motorway starts as a dual three lane route at Sunbury on Thames on the edge of South West London. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. It heads south west, crosses the River Thames on the M3 Chertsey Bridge to the north of Chertsey and passes under the M25 motorway, before continuing in a more westerly direction south of Camberley. The Thames ( is a major River flowing through southern England. The M3 Chertsey Bridge is a motorway bridge in England built in the 1970s Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. To see information about the M25 motorway under construction in Ireland, see N25 road. Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles (50 km south west of Central London From Junction 4 it runs across the northern suburbs of Farnborough it enters a more rural setting, crosses the South Western Railway Main Line, and passes close to the Basingstoke Canal before reaching the outskirts of Basingstoke. South San Jose (cropjpg||thumb|A suburban development in San Jose California. Farnborough is a Town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England. Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time The South Western Main Line is a Railway line from London Waterloo to Weymouth on the Dorset coast in the south of England. The Basingstoke Canal is a British Canal, built to connect Basingstoke with the River Thames at Weybridge via the Wey Navigation. Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, England It lies across a Valley at the source of the River Loddon. Turning south west again, it runs across the south of Basingstoke, before reaching Junction 8, where lane 1 becomes the A303 road and the motorway continues as a dual two lane road through open countryside and Micheldever Wood until it reaches the north of Winchester. The A303 is a Trunk road in England. It is the main road between Basingstoke in Hampshire and Honiton in Devon. Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre

Forming the Winchester Bypass it widens to three lanes at Junction 9, continues directly south and then into a small loop around the east of the City. It runs through a deep cutting in Twyford Down and then proceeds south west again, crossing the South Western Railway Main Line a second time alongside the River Itchen and back into a more urban environment before crossing the Eastleigh to Romsey railway line and ending at the Chilworth Roundabout on the fringes of Southampton. Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk Downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. The River Itchen is a River in Hampshire, England. It flows from mid-Hampshire to join with Southampton Water in the city of Southampton History The line was opened by the LSWR in 1847 Passenger services ceased in May 1969 except for occasional diverted trains and Railtours The line was

History

Construction of the M3 started in 1971, and was completed in stages until 1995. The opening dates, going from north east to south west, are as follows:^[1]

• Junction 1 to Junction 3 opened in 1974.
• Junction 3 to junction 8 opened in 1971.

An additional junction, numbered 4a, opened in April 1992 near Farnborough^[2]

• Junction 8 to Junction 10 opened in 1985.

The original terminus of the M3 was with a temporary junction near junction 8 that fed directly into the A33 at Popham, built in 1971. When the M3 was extended to Junction 10 in 1985, this temporary junction was removed.

• Junction 10 to Junction 12 opened in 1995.

This section was constructed partly on the original route of the A33.

• Junction 12 to Junction 14 was designated as motorway in 1992.

The section from just south of Junction 11 to Junction 14 was constructed using the alignment of a section of the A33 road originally built in 1967. The A33 is a major Road in England. The road formerly ran from Reading to Southampton, but now consists of three disjoint sections Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. This was upgraded to motorway standards in 1991, although not formally designated a motorway until the completion of the section from Junction 10 around Winchester (see below). The westbound M27 motorway link was completed in 1975 and the eastbound link in 1986. The Soviet motorway M27 connects Sochi, Tbilisi, and Baku. The M27 is a Motorway in Hampshire The road was upgraded to motorway in 1992, but only as far as a temporary junction at Compton, south of the present-day Junction 11. Compton and Shawford is a Civil parish in the City of Winchester, Hampshire, England. This temporary junction was removed when the final section of M3 between this and Junction 10 was completed in 1995.

Twyford Down

Main article: Twyford Down

See also: Road protest (UK)

The M3 under construction at Twyford Down

The Department for Transport wanted to complete the M3 (between the current Junction 10 and 12) to avoid traffic having to use the A33, which was congested and dangerous. Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk Downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. Road protest in the United Kingdom usually occurs as a reaction to a stated intention by the empowered authorities to build a new Road, or to modify an existing In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport (or DfT) ( Welsh: Adran am Drafnidiaeth) is the government department The A33 is a major Road in England. The road formerly ran from Reading to Southampton, but now consists of three disjoint sections They had difficulty setting a satisfactory route for the motorway due to the proximity of a number of important sites, including St. Catherine's Hill, the city of Winchester, Winchester Cathedral and Twyford Down (which was a site of special scientific interest). St Catherine's Hill is a small but dramatic Chalk hill to the south east of Winchester in Hampshire, England. Winchester or Winton ( archaic) is a historic city in southern England, with a population of around 40000 within a radius of its centre Winchester Cathedral at Winchester in Hampshire is one of the largest Cathedrals in England, with the longest nave and overall length of Twyford Down is a small area of ancient chalk Downland lying directly to the southeast of Winchester, Hampshire, England. A Site of Special Scientific Interest or SSSI is a Conservation designation denoting a Protected area in the United Kingdom. A tunnel design was proposed, but rejected. There were large scale road protests from 1991 by local people and by environmental activists. Road protest in the United Kingdom usually occurs as a reaction to a stated intention by the empowered authorities to build a new Road, or to modify an existing Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and others petitioned the High Court, eight protesters were sent to prison for ignoring an injunction to stay away and the European Environmental Commissioner instructed the government to stop the project. Greenpeace, originally known as the Greenpeace Foundation, was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1972 Friends of the Earth (HK is not a member of Friends of the Earth International For the Cameroonian court by this name see High Court of Justice (Cameroon, for the Israeli court of this name see Supreme Court of Israel. A European Commissioner is a member of the 27-member European Commission. The route was completed and opened to traffic in 1994. Shortly afterwards the government cancelled most of its remaining road building schemes.

Junctions

Trivia

• It is rumoured that the original negatives of the full-length cut of the film The Wicker Man are buried under the M3 after being used as part of a landfill. The A316, also known in parts as the Great Chertsey Road, is a major Road in England, which extends the M3 motorway north-east towards Central London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. Sunbury-on-Thames (also known as Sunbury)is a London commuter belt town in the Surrey borough of Spelthorne in England. Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough The A308, is a Road in England in two parts The Brompton to Fulham section starts at the A4 road by Brompton Oratory Gatwick Airport is London 's second largest Airport and the second busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow. The M23 motorway is a Motorway in England. The Motorway runs from south of Hooley in Surrey, where it splits from the Dartford is the principal town in the borough of Dartford. It is situated in the northwest corner of Kent, England, 16 miles (25 km east south-east The M20 is a Motorway in Kent, England. It runs from the M25 motorway to Folkestone, providing a link to the Channel Northern England, The North, The North of England or (less commonly The North Country refers to the parts of England north of an ill-defined line The M1 is a major south – north Motorway in England primarily connecting London to Leeds, where The M4 motorway is a Motorway in Great Britain linking London with Wales. Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. Staines is a Thames -side town in the Spelthorne borough of Surrey and part of the London Commuter Belt of South East England, To see information about the M25 motorway under construction in Ireland, see N25 road. Bracknell is a town in the Bracknell Forest borough of Berkshire, England. Lightwater is a village in the Surrey Heath district of Surrey, England about 27 miles to the south-west of London. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. Guildford ( IPA /ˈgɪlfəd/ is the County town of Surrey, England, as well as the seat for the borough of Guildford and the Farnham is a Town in Surrey, England, within the Borough of Waverley. Camberley is a town in Surrey, England, situated 31 miles (50 km south west of Central London Aldershot is a town in the English County of Hampshire, located on heathland about 60 km (37 miles southwest of London. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. Fleet is a Motorway service station on the M3 near Basingstoke. Hook is a large village within the Hart district of northern Hampshire, England. List of A roads beginning with 2 in Great Britain starting south of the River Thames and east of the A3. B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind Newbury is a Civil parish and the principal Town in the west of the County of Berkshire in England. Alton is a small market town in Hampshire, England, to the southwest of Farnham. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. Reading (ˈrɛdɪŋ as Redding) is a town in England, located at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, midway between Andover is a town in the English county of Hampshire. The town is situated on the River Anton some 18 Salisbury (ˈsɒlzbri ˈsɔːlzbri ('Solzbry' or ˈzɔːwzbri ('Zawzbry' — moving from RP to local dialect) is a cathedral city in the This article is mainly about the English Midlands For other uses see Midlands (disambiguation. The A34 is a major road in England. It runs from the A6042 in Salford to Winchester in Hampshire. B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind The A31 is a major Trunk road in southern England that runs from Guildford in Surrey to Bere Regis in Dorset. B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England. The A3090 is an A-Class Road in Hampshire in Southern England. Chandler's Ford (originally The Ford and historically Chandlersford) is a largely residential area in the borough of Eastleigh in southern List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. Southampton Airport is the 20th largest Airport in the UK, located in Eastleigh near Southampton. The Market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly History See also History of Portsmouth There have been settlements in the area since before Roman times mostly being offshoots of Portchester, which Hastings is a town on the coast of East Sussex in England; it is also the administrative centre for the Borough of the same name Southampton ( IPA /ˌsaʊθˈhæmptən/ is the largest city in the county of Hampshire, on the south coast of England Ringwood is a Town in Hampshire, England, which is located on the River Avon, west of the New Forest and north of Bournemouth Bournemouth ( is a large coastal resort town in the Borough of Bournemouth in Dorset, England. ^[3]
• On 1 April 2000, Pranksters painted a zebra crossing across three lanes of the M3 between junctions 4 and 4A on the northbound carriageway near Farnborough in Hampshire. Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ^[4]
• A private exit off the northern roundabout at Junction 4a provides access to the UK headquarters of Sun Microsystems. Sun Microsystems Inc ( is a multinational vendor of Computers computer components Computer software, and Information technology services ^[5]
• The A325 has a roundabout junction with a minor road over the M3 between junctions 3 and 4, but there is no junction with the motorway. List of A roads beginning with 3 in Great Britain starting west of the A3 and south of the A4. A roundabout is a type of Road junction at which Traffic enters a one-way stream around a central island

See also

• List of motorways in the United Kingdom

References

External links

• CBRD
  • Motorway Database – M3
  • Bad Junctions – M3/A31
• The Motorway Archive – M3