Why do all the road numbers near Looe start with 3?
The road numbering system in the UK was devised many years ago and based on segments between main roads heading out from London. The A3 went from London south west to Portsmouth. The A4 went from London west via Bristol to Cardiff and Swansea. All roads between these two, which included Devon and Cornwall were named with a number stating with the number 3. The most important A roads to were A31,A32 etc and more minor ones has 3 digits.
The main A roads into Devon and Cornwall are the A30, A303 and A38, plus of course the M5 from the north. The A30 takes a route down the centre, passing to the north of Dartmoor, via Okehampon, Lanuceston and Bodmin. The A38 takes a more southern route, south of Dartmoor via Plymouth and into Cornwall via Saltash before going the length of Cornwall to end up at Penance.
The other main road in Cornwall is the A39 which mostly goes down the northern coast.
Most people heading to Looe will approach from either Saltash or Liskeard. The smaller roads also all begin with 3, so there is the A387 heading into Looe and the B3253 and B3369 nearby.
This Visitor Attractions Cornwall article was created on 4th January 2010
