A3(M) Motorway Opened

1970s-1980s

The A3(M) motorway, running north from the Portsdown Hill area towards Horndean and connecting to the A3 towards London, was built in stages during the 1970s and 1980s. The motorway passes to the east of Waterlooville and provides fast road access to Portsmouth, the M27 and ultimately London. The opening of the A3(M) was significant for Waterlooville because it improved connections without requiring a bypass through the town itself. Commuters living in Waterlooville gained quicker access to jobs in Portsmouth, Havant and further afield. The motorway also made Waterlooville more attractive to house buyers, who could live in a suburban setting with easy motorway access.