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A2 road (England) facts for kids

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A2 road shield

A2 road
A2 road map.png
A2 heading west towards the M25/A282
Route information
Length 71.95 mi (115.79 km)
Major junctions
North west end Southwark
51°30′04″N 0°05′35″W / 51.5012°N 0.0931°W / 51.5012; -0.0931 (A2 road (western end))
  A3
A100
A201
A2208
A202
A20
A2209
A2210
A206
A2211
A102
A207
A2213
A205
A221
A220
A223
A2018
A282
M25
A296
A2260
A227
M2
A289
A228
A229
A230
A231
A289
A278
A249
A251
M2
A299
A2050
A28
A2050
A260
A256
A258
A20
South east end Dover
51°07′35″N 1°19′38″E / 51.1263°N 1.3271°E / 51.1263; 1.3271 (A2 road (eastern end))
Location
Primary
destinations:
Dartford, Rochester, Faversham, Canterbury
Road network
  • Roads in the United Kingdom

The A2 is a really important road in South East England. It connects London, the capital city, all the way to Dover on the coast. From Dover, you can even take a ferry across the English Channel to France! This road has a super long history. It follows paths that people like the Celts and the Romans used thousands of years ago.


What is the A2 Road?

The A2 is one of Britain's main roads. It's about 72 miles (116 km) (around 116 kilometers) long. It starts in Southwark, London, and stretches all the way to the port town of Dover in Kent. This road is a key route for travel and trade between London and mainland Europe.

A Road with Ancient Roots

Imagine a road that's been used for thousands of years! The A2 follows old paths that were important long before cars existed.

  • Celtic Trails: The earliest people in Britain, the Celts, likely used these routes for moving around.
  • Roman Roads: When the Romans came to Britain, they built amazing straight roads. The A2 follows parts of a famous Roman road called Watling Street. This Roman road connected London to three big Roman ports:

These ports were vital for the Romans to bring goods and soldiers into Britain.

How the A2 Got Its Name

The name "A2" was given to this road in the 1920s. This was when Britain started to officially number its main roads. Before that, it was just known by its historical names, like Watling Street.

Where Does the A2 Go?

The A2 passes through many interesting towns and areas.

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