It carries out the official surveying of GB, providing the most accurate and up-to-date geographic data, relied on by government, business and individuals.

The scheme was the subject of a public consultation in March 2007, and incorporated plans to widen the Ilminster bypass from South Petherton to a dual two-lane road. A proposal to fully dual the A303 past Stonehenge was announced in the mid-1970s, but was criticised as being "an environmental disaster" and comparable to driving a dual carriageway through Westminster Abbey. Sir Charles Dance bought three carriages for trips between Cheltenham and Gloucester, but traditional horse-operated stagecoach operators sabotaged the route and Hanning's carriages did not gain widespread adoption. MICHELIN local maps are perfect for cyclists and outdoor enthusiasts with over 20 leisure symbols, extensive coverage of cycling paths and nature trails. National Trails and other long-distance paths are marked, as well as permissive footpaths or bridleways and on-road or traffic-free cycle routes with, where appropriate, their National/Regional Cycle Network numbers.The A303 was created on 1 April 1933 as the "Alternative London – Exeter route" after the Ministry of Transport realised the New Direct Road was still useful as a major road for motor traffic. Providing complete GB coverage, the OS Explorer map series details information essential in the great outdoors, including youth hostels, pubs and visitor information. Portions of it follow the Harrow Way, an ancient trackway across Wessex that is one of Britain's oldest roads, reportedly being used as long ago as 3,000 BC. Along with engineer Goldsworthy Gurney, Hanning attempted to design a steam-powered coach that could be run along the New Direct Road. A section of the A303 around Weyhill, west of Andover, runs alongside a ditch thought to be constructed during the Bronze Age.

These range from motorway-style free-flowing junctions such as that with the A36 near Wylye, to simple forks on the single carriageway sections.

The Explorer series, Ordnance Survey’s most detailed maps recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities, provides topographic coverage of Great Britain at 1:25,000 on GPS compatible maps with hiking trails, cycling routes and extensive tourist information.

They should also be securely packaged in a sealed box, to ensure the contents are protected during transit. It was not thought of as a significant through route when roads were initially numbered, but was revived as a major road in 1933, eventually becoming a trunk road in 1958.The Government's Road Investment Strategy has committed to upgrading all the remaining single carriage sections of the A303 as far as Ilminster. Some junctions, such as the Countess Roundabout with the A345 near Amesbury, and the Podimore roundabout with the A37, are known congestion hotspots because they are insufficient to cope with traffic. The road then passes by Solstice Park and Bulford Camp before bypassing Amesbury and entering the Stonehenge World Heritage Site. To make life easy, you will find all the neighbouring maps as well as the weatherproof edition of this map in the related products section below. On reaching the valley, it reverts again to single carriageway and through the village of Chicklade, before following the terrain over to Mere, where it runs north of the town as another dual carriageway bypass.

The A303 is particularly congested during the Summer solstice (around 21 June), when Stonehenge forms a major part of festivities.Along with many other turnpike routes, the New Direct Road fell into disrepair during the 19th century owing to a lack of funds and available staff.