A32 (Great Britain)
 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Length | 29.1 mi[1] (46.8 km) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end | South Street (B3333) in Gosport | |||
 A27 in Fareham M27 in Fareham A334 in Wickham A272 in West Meon | ||||
| North end |  A31 in Chawton | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United Kingdom | |||
| Primary destinations | Fareham | |||
| Road network | ||||
| ||||
The A32 is a road in Hampshire, southern England, that links Gosport and Alton. Starting at Gosport, facing Portsmouth, it travels north via Fareham, Wickham, Droxford, before joining the A31 near Alton. The road is 29.2 miles (47.0 km) long from the seafront at Gosport to the roundabout with the A31 near Alton, and has entirely non-primary status.[2]
Route description
Despite its non-primary status, the road forms the main access to the town of Gosport. At rush-hour times, the road is often extremely congested (northbound in the morning rush, southbound in the evenings) as commuters head through central Fareham from the Gosport peninsula to the M27.
The main pinch-point is the 1-mile (1.6 km) long section of road between the Newgate Lane Flyover (junction B3334) and the Quay Street Roundabout in central Fareham where traffic delays often cause northbound tailbacks of 3 miles (4.8 km) at peak times. During the evening rush, traffic can at times back up to the M27 at Junction 11 and along the inside lane of the motorway.[3]
There have for many years been plans to provide a light rail solution to the traffic problem by utilising the former Gosport to Fareham railway line but this was scrapped in 2005. Part of the former railway line has since been converted for "Eclipse" bus rapid transit routes.[4]
The A32 is a popular route for motorcyclists, particularly at weekends; the cafe ( now Loomies, formerly a "Little Chef") where the A272 crosses the A32 at West Meon has become central meeting place for many groups of riders. The historic site of Fort Widley to the south is easily accessed from Wickham and is a popular route for motorcyclists.[5]
Junction list
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hampshire | Gosport | 0.0 | 0.0 | South Street (B3333) | Southern terminus adjacent to Gosport Fountain; continues as B3333 beyond point |
| Fareham | 5.5 | 8.9 | A27 / Portland Street / Quay Street – City centre, Sarisbury, Titchfield | Southern terminus of A27 concurrency | |
| 5.8– 6.0 | 9.3– 9.7 | M27 / A27 east – Portsmouth, Southampton, Portchester | Northern terminus of A27 concurrency | ||
| 7.3 | 11.7 | M27 east – Portsmouth, Gosport | Access only from M27 west to A32 north and from A32 south to M27 east; M27 junction 10 | ||
| Wickham | 9.3 | 15.0 | A334 west (Fareham Road) / Grindall Fld to B2177 – Botley | Information signed northbound only; eastern terminus of A334 | |
| West Meon | 20.7 | 33.3 | A272 – Petersfield, Winchester, Bramdean, Langrish | ||
| Chawton | 29.1 | 46.8 |   A31 / Northfield Lane / Winchester Road to A339 / A33 – Winchester, Alton, Farnham, Basingstoke, Reading, Four Marks, Alresford, Odiham, Bentley, Chawton | Northern terminus | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
In popular culture
The A32 is referenced in a children's song.[6]
External links
References
- ^ a b "Positive Rebel, Address, Gosport PO13 1TR, United Kingdom to Chawton, Alton, UK". Google Maps. Alphabet Inc. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
- ^ "Ordnance Survey 1:250,000 map". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "North of Fareham Strategic Development Area". Fareham Borough Council. Archived from the original on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-20.
- ^ "Eclipse | Portsmouth, Fareham & Gosport | First Bus".
- ^ "Bike Social's Top Routes!". Bennetts UK. Retrieved 27 February 2017.
- ^ "Trouble for Hugh the Hedgehog (song by Nick Cope )". Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.