It is primary at the north-east end; the remainder is non-primary, generally superseded in the mid-twentieth century in two stages by newer alignments of the Portsmouth Road, the Kingston bypass and Esher bypass of the A3, which runs along a slightly oblique axis.

At the junction with the A316 in Richmond it becomes a non-primary A-road through the town centre then heads through Petersham where for fewer than 100 metres it kinks west and then travels south through Ham.

It bisects the north of the town, before becoming the western half of the one-way system in Kingston upon Thames.

It passes a junction with the A243, shortly before exiting the borough at Seething Wells there next to Long Ditton.

A watchman's box that also served as a village lock-up, dating from 1787, is next to the Fox & Duck in Petersham.