A37 road

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

A37 shield
A37
Location
Country
Primary
destinations
Bristol
Shepton Mallet
Yeovil
Dorchester
Road network
A38

The A37 is a major road in south west England.

Route

It runs north from the

A4 in central Bristol. The road is entirely single carriageway, except in the Yeovil and Bristol built-up areas, at Ilchester (where it multiplexes with the A303
), and north of Dorchester.

Fosse Way

From the Podimore roundabout northeast of Ilchester to Shepton Mallet the route traces that of the Fosse Way.

The road today

The road is subject to a stream of speed restrictions where it winds through a number of small villages. These parts of the road can be dangerous, especially where wide vehicles pass on sections where buildings are close to the road.

History

1922 road classification

The original A37 in 1922 started in Fortuneswell, Isle of Portland, however, the section to Dorchester was soon renumbered A354, presumably to create a link between the major port of Weymouth and the A30 at Salisbury, from where the route would continue to London. Such a route has now been superseded by the M27 and M3.

One of the worst accident spots on the A37 was the

road traffic accidents
, many of which were fatal.

After a long campaign for the junction to be replaced, a roundabout was constructed in 1999 significantly improving road safety and traffic flow. There have been few other construction schemes on the road in recent decades.

In recent years most of the overtaking lanes, provided on steep stretches just south of Bristol, have been blocked out with chevrons.

Future

A potential extension of the

Whitchurch would provide a direct link to the M32 and M4 north of Bristol.[2]

Junction list

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Southern terminus; southern terminus of A352 concurrency
A352 north (North Street) – Charminster, Cerne Abbas, Sherborne
Northern terminus of A352 concurrency
A356 north-west (Dorchester Road) – Crewkerne, Frampton, Maiden Newton
South-eastern terminus of A356
Only A30, Chard, and Crewkerne signed southbound; southern terminus of A30 concurrency
19.331.1 Lysander Road (Montacute and Stoke-sub-Hamdon signed westbound only; eastern terminus of A3088
19.932.0
A30 east (Reckleford) / Park Road – Town centre, Sherborne
Eastern terminus of A30 concurrency
20.132.3
A359 north (Mudford Road) / Preston Road – Frome, Odcombe, Montacute, Queen Camel, Marston Magna, Mudford
Southern terminus of A359
A358 – Exeter, Taunton
To M5 signed northbound only, To A358 southbound only
A372 north-west / Podimore Road to B3151 – London, Andover, Langport, Wincanton, Sparkford, Podimore, Street, Somerton, Yeovilton
Yeovilton signed southbound only; northern terminus of A303 concurrency; south-eastern terminus of A372
A361 south (East Compton Road) – Glastonbury, Taunton, Pilton
Southern terminus of A361 concurrency
A303 / B3081 – Castle Cary, Evercreech
Southern terminus of A371 concurrency
40.0–
40.7
64.4–
65.5
A371 north-west – Frome, Shepton Mallet, Wells
Northern terminus of A361 / A371 concurrency
A367 north (Bath Road) – Radstock, Oakhill, Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Bath
Only Bath signed southbound only; southern terminus of A367
A39 south-west – Wells
Southern terminus of A39 concurrency
A362 east – Midsomer Norton, Radstock, Frome
Western terminus of A362
A39 north-east (Wells Road) to B3355 – Bath, High Littleton, Hallatrow, Paulton
Northern terminus of A39 concurrency
Only Bath, Taunton, and Avonmouth signed southbound
60.497.2 Northern terminus; no acess to A4 east or from A4 west
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b "Monkeys Jump Roundabout, Poundbury, Dorchester DT2 9DL, UK to Higham Street Green, Higham St, Bristol BS4 2BJ, UK". Google Maps. Retrieved 7 December 2023.
  2. ^ "The new ring road and suburb that will change Bristol forever". 19 November 2018.

External links