A361 road
The A361 is an A class road in southern England, which at is the longest three-digit A road in the UK.
History
When first designated in 1922, the A361 ran from Taunton to Banbury. It was later extended west through Bampton to South Molton, on the route of the former A398, and from South Molton to Barnstaple and Ilfracombe, previously part of the route of the A373. In 1988, when the North Devon Link Road was opened, the A361 was switched to its present route. The old route from Taunton through Bampton to South Molton was downgraded to become the B3227. In the 1970s the route was extended north from Banbury to Daventry, providing a link to the M1 motorway near Crick.Route
Devon
The road starts in Ilfracombe as part of the town's High Street, and is mostly single carriageway. The road passes through the villages of Knowle and Braunton, before becoming dual carriageway standard at Ashford, which continues for the short distance to Barnstaple. From there it passes the town's railway station then merges with the A39 for a short while before splitting back off near Portmore Golf Park. The section from Barnstaple to the M5 near Tiverton has been designated the North Devon Link Road, and enables relatively fast access to the Atlantic Highway, relieving pressure on the northern section of the A39 and A358. This section is a modern, wide single carriageway trunk road, apart from the stretch between Tiverton and the M5, which is dual carriageway. Tiverton Parkway railway station is situated close to the junction with the motorway in order to give easy rail connections for people driving from north Devon. Some sections of road are on the alignment of the Devon and Somerset Railway, including the Castle Hill Viaduct over the River Bray, where the stone pillars formerly used to support a lattice girder railway bridge now support the road.Somerset and south Wiltshire
The road merges with the A38 from Junction 27 of the M5 until Taunton. The rest of the road, from there to Swindon, is largely county-road class. It crosses the Somerset Levels separating Curry Moor from North Moor and Salt Moor, where in flood conditions such as the winter of 2012/2013 the Athelney spillway runs across the road if the drain level at Curry Moor pumping station exceeds 7.1m, making the road impassable. Next, it passes by the towns of Street and Glastonbury and briefly merges with the A39 again. From there it continues northeast near Cranmore and originally passed through Frome, which it now bypasses to the east. It briefly merges with the A36 then passes through villages at Rode and into Wiltshire at Southwick. Here it is signposted alternatively via Trowbridge or through North Bradley and Yarnbrook to merge with the A350 before diverging towards Devizes.A4361
From its junction with the A4 at Beckhampton, northwards through Avebury, the A361 has been renumbered the A4361 as it heads for Swindon town centre via Wroughton. It emerges near Stratton St Margaret, becoming the A361 again at the junction with the A419 which passes northeast of Swindon.North Wiltshire and Gloucestershire
This road links Highworth to Lechlade and has no pavement for the entire length apart from a small section in Inglesham. It carries traffic at high speeds.File:Ha'penny_Bridge_in_winter_-_geograph.org.uk_-_333653.jpg|thumb|left|Grade II listed Halfpenny Bridge across the River Thames.
The Thames Path National Trail follows the verge for a little over one mile between Upper Inglesham and Inglesham. On entering Lechlade, the road crosses the Grade II listed Halfpenny Bridge, which marks the navigable limit of the River Thames for powered craft. Lines painted onto the panels on the bridge parapets indicate the border between the counties of Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.