The A23 road is a major road in the United Kingdom between London and Brighton, East Sussex, England. It is managed by Transport for London for the section inside the Greater London boundary, Surrey County Council and West Sussex County Council for the section shadowed by the M23 motorway, National Highways (as a trunk road) between the M23 and Patcham, and by Brighton and Hove Council from the A27 to the centre of Brighton.

A23 shield
A23
Rpp 010.jpg
The A23 near Patcham, East Sussex.
Route information
Length51.2 mi[1] (82.4 km)
Major junctions
South end A259 in Brighton50°49′48″N 0°08′17″W / 50.830°N 0.138°W / 50.830; -0.138
Major intersections A27 in Brighton

A272 in Bolney
M23 / A264 in Crawley
M23 in Merstham
A22 in Purley, London
A232 near Croydon
A214 in Streatham
A205 near Streatham
A203 in Brixton

A202 in Kennington
North end A3 in London (Waterloo)51°29′53″N 0°06′43″W / 51.498°N 0.112°W / 51.498; -0.112
Location
CountryUnited Kingdom
CountiesEast Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Greater London
Primary
destinations
Croydon
Redhill
Reigate
Gatwick Airport
Crawley
Road network
A22 A24

The road has been a major route for centuries, and seen numerous upgrades, bypasses and diversions.

Route

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The A23 begins near Lambeth North tube station. Formerly, it started as Westminster Bridge Road near Waterloo station, but this is now part of the A302. Almost immediately it turns south; the straightness of much of the heading south shows its Roman origins.

The road becomes:

Major roads intersected by the A23

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History

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What is now the A23 became an arterial route following the construction of Westminster Bridge in 1750 and the consequent improvement of roads leading to the bridge south of the river by the turnpike trusts. The increase in population of Brighton in the late eighteenth century, which transformed it from a small fishing village to a large seaside resort, enhanced the importance of this road, as did the residence there of George IV, as Prince of Wales, who made Brighton a place of fashion.

When roads were originally classified, the A23 started at Purley Cross.[3] The road north of this section, including Purley Way, which opened to traffic in April 1925,[4] was part of the A22. The current route north to Westminster Bridge dates from April 1935.[5]

The A23 in London has frequently been one of the city's most congested roads.[6][7] The M23 motorway was originally proposed to run as far north as Streatham, relieving congestion on the route, but the section north of Hooley was never built. At junction 7 of the M23 motorway, signs for the northbound M23 (which terminates a few miles to the north) simply read "Croydon" with no other London destinations marked.

In July 2000, control of the section of road inside the Greater London boundary was transferred from the Highways Agency to Transport for London.[8] This caused delays to a planned relief road of Coulsdon, which had been announced in 1998. The then mayor, Ken Livingstone apologised in 2002 that TfL was unable to construct the relief road due to a lack of funds.[9] The road was eventually completed in 2007, and which under TfL's ownership had acquired a bus lane that suffered ridicule for not having any buses actually running on it.[10]

On 18 March 2010, plans to widen the section between Handcross and Warninglid in West Sussex to three lanes, removing an accident prone bend, were given the go ahead. Work started in autumn 2011[11][12] and the scheme was completed and opened in October 2014, with a better-than-expected improvement to safety.[13]

London to Brighton Veteran Run

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The 53-mile (85 km) road from London to Brighton forms the basis of the route of the annual London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. This is featured in the film Genevieve':, although most of the rural motoring scenes were shot in Buckinghamshire. The A23 is also used for various other London to Brighton events, although in many cases part of the route diverges to parallel roads to reduce congestion or add variety.

Junction list

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CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
East SussexBrighton0.00.0  A259 (Marine Parade / Grand Junction Road) / Maderia Drive – RottingdeanSouthern terminus
0.71.1  Lewes Road (A270 east) to A27 – LewesWestern terminus of A270
0.81.3  A270 west (Fleet Street) – HoveInformation signed northbound only; northern terminus of A270 concurrency
1.11.8  A270 west (Old Shoreham Road) – Hove
3.8–
4.2
6.1–
6.8
  A27 – Worthing, Lewes
West SussexPyecombe5.58.9Begin freeway
5.5–
6.3
8.9–
10.1
   A273 north to A281 – Hassocks, Pyecombe, Henfield, NewtimberTo A281, Henfield, and Newtimber signed southbound only; southern terminus of A273
6.710.8  A281 north-west – HenfieldNo southbound exit; south-eastern terminus of A281
Newtimber7.1–
7.3
11.4–
11.7
Private access
7.612.2Private accessSouthbound exit and entrance only
NewtimberHurstpierpoint and Sayers Common boundary8.0–
8.2
12.9–
13.2
B2117 to B2118 – Hurstpierpoint, Albourne, Sayers Common, HicksteadNorthbound exit and southbound entrance
Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common10.817.4B2118 – Hurstpierpoint, Albourne, Henfield, Sayers CommonSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
TwinehamBolney boundary11.3–
12.3
18.2–
19.8
  A2300 east – Burgess Hill, Goddards Green, Twineham, Hickstead VillageGoddards Green signed northbound only; western terminus of A2300
Bolney12.7–
13.2
20.4–
21.2
   A272 to A2300 – Petersfield, Haywards Heath, Cuckfield, Burgess Hill, Bolney, Ansty, CowfoldTo A2300, Cuckfield, Burgess Hill, and Bolney signed northbound only
14.022.5BolneySouthbound exit only
14.1–
14.8
22.7–
23.8
ServicesNorthbound exit and entrance
Ansty and Staplefield15.1–
15.4
24.3–
24.8
B2115 to B2114 – Warninglid, Slaugham, Cuckfield, Staplefield
Slaugham17.2–
17.5
27.7–
28.2
B2110 – Handcross, Lower BeedingNo southbound exit
18.930.4B2114 to B2110 – HandcrossSouthbound exit only
Crawley19.7–
20.0
31.7–
32.2
    M23 north / A264 / B2114 to M25 – Horsham, Broadfield, Pease Pottage, LondonTo M25, London, Gatwick, and East Grinstead signed southbound only; southern terminus of M23
20.032.2End freeway
20.933.6  A2004 north-east (Southgate Avenue) – Town centre, Southgate, TilgateSouth-western terminus of A2004
21.534.6   A2220 (Horsham Road) to A264 – Town centre, Horsham, Southgate, West Green, Broadfield, Bewbush, Faygate
23.437.7     A2011 east / A2219 south / Langley Drive to A264 / M23 – Town centre, East Grinstead, London, Langley Green, Northgate, Pound Hill, Three BridgesWestern terminus of A2011; northern terminus of A2219
26.843.1  M23 – East GrinsteadSouthbound exit only
26.9–
27.1
43.3–
43.6
Gatwick Airport to   M23Northbound exit and entrance
SurreyCharlwood27.444.1  A217 north / Povey Cross Road – London, Reigate, CharlwoodSouthern terminus of A217
Salfords and Sidlow30.549.1   A2044 north-west (Woodhatch Road) to A217 – Woodhatch, ReigateInformation signed northbound only; south-eastern terminus of A2044
Redhill32.6–
33.0
52.5–
53.1
  A25 west – ReigatePart of A25 concurrency
32.852.8  A25 east (Station Road) – GodstonePart of A25 concurrency
33.854.4   A242 south-west (Gatton Park Road) to A25 – Reigate, DorkingNorth-eastern terminus of A242
Reigate and Banstead36.158.1    M23 south to M25 – Gatwick Airport, Brighton, Heathrow Airport, DartfordSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; northern terminus of M23
Greater LondonCroydon38.361.6  A237 north (Brighton Road) to B2030 – Sutton, Coulsdon, Old Coulsdon, CaterhamOnly A237 and Coulsdon signed southbound; southern terminus of A237
38.962.6Caterham, Old CoulsdonSouthbound exit and northbound entrance
40.565.2    A22 south (Godstone Road) / A235 north (Brighton Road) / A2022 east – East Grinstead, Kenley, Sanderstead, South CroydonDirect access to A235 and South Croydon northbound only; southern terminus of A2022 concurrency; northern terminus of A22; southern terminus of A235
40.665.3  A2022 west (Foxley Lane) – Banstead, WoodcoteNorthbound access only; northern terminus of A2022 concurrency
42.5–
42.7
68.4–
68.7
  A232 east / B271 (Stafford Road) / B275 (Denning Avenue) – Croydon, Wallington, South CroydonA232 and Croydon signed northbound only; southern terminus of A232 concurrency
42.768.7  A232 west (Croydon Road) – Sutton, WallingtonInformation signed northbound only; northern terminus of A232 concurrency
44.070.8  A236 (Mitcham Road) / Canterbury Road – Croydon, Wimbledon, Mitcham
44.771.9  A235 south (London Road) to B266 – Croydon, Selhurst, Thornton HeathNorthern terminus of A235
Lambeth46.975.5  A214 east (Streatham Common North) – Crystal Palace, NorwoodSouthern terminus of A214 concurrency
47.276.0  A214 west / B242 south-west – Clapham Junction, Wimbledon, Tooting, BalhamNorthern terminus of A214; information signed northbound only
47.376.1   A216 south-west to A214 – Mitcham, Wimbledon, SuttonInformation signed southbound only; north-eastern terminus of A216
48.578.1       A205 (South Circular) / A24 / A3 / A21 / A20 / A2 – Clapham Junction, Lewisham, Bromley, Tulse Hill
49.5–
49.7
79.7–
80.0
  A204 south (Effra Road) – Herne HillNo access from A23 north to A204 south; northern terminus of A204
49.780.0  A2217 (Acre Lane / Coldharbour Lane) – Camberwell GreenNo access from A23 south to A2217
49.980.3  A203 north-west – West End of London, Vauxhall, StockwellNo access from A23 south to A203; south-eastern terminus of A203
51.182.2  A202 west – West End of London
    A202 east to A2 / A20 – Peckham, Camberwell Green
No access from A23 north to A202 east, or from A23 south to A202 west
51.282.4  A3 north – City of LondonNorthern terminus; no access from A23 north to A3 south
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "5 Old Steine, Brighton, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN1 1EJ, UK to London Rd, Crawley RH10 9TA, UK to Redhill RH1 2JF, UK to LocationXR, Canterbury Court, 1-3 Kennington Park Rd, Brixton Rd, London SW9 6DE, United Kingdom". Google Maps. Alphabet Inc. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Coulsdon Town Centre regeneration scheme clear to progress as Coulsdon Relief Road opens". Archived from the original on 17 August 2012. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  3. ^ "List of Class I and Class II Roads and Numbers". HMSO. 1923. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  4. ^ "Purley Way and Valley Park". Croydon Online. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  5. ^ CLASSIFICATION: Re-numbering of classified routes, The National Archives, MT39/246
  6. ^ "Air Pollution (London)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 20 July 1994. Retrieved 20 December 2012. That monitoring exercise was carried out in the very heart of Streatham, at St. Leonard's junction, on the A23 London to Brighton road, one of London's busiest and most congested thoroughfares
  7. ^ "Bus Companies, London". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 22 May 1995. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  8. ^ "Coulsdon Inner Relief Road". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 3 July 2000. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Road Building". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 15 October 2002. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  10. ^ "Bus lane or dead end?". Croydon Guardian. 14 March 2007. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  11. ^ "Plans to widen the A23 in West Sussex approved". BBC News. 17 March 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  12. ^ "A23 Handcross to Warninglid - Road Projects - Highways Agency". Archived from the original on 11 October 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  13. ^ "Post Opening Project Evaluation A23 Handcross to Warninglid One Year After Study". gov.uk. Highways England. March 2017. p. 4. Retrieved 19 August 2019.
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