Roads minister hails progress on UK's longest under-land road tunnel

UK roads minister Mike Penning saw progress on the A3 Hindhead bypass project yesterday when he was driven through the whole length of the new 1.2 mile tunnel.

The minister heard that the multi-million pound project to build the UK's longest road tunnel under land and improve journey times between London and Portsmouth will reach a major milestone next month when a 1.5 mile section of the approach road to the south is due to open to traffic. The tunnel itself is expected to open in summer 2011.

Drivers should be using the first section of new road to the south of Hindhead in time for the August bank holiday.

The completed scheme will reduce traffic at the notorious bottleneck in Hindhead village and restore peace to a highly valued part of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by diverting the A3 away from the Devil’s Punchbowl, an internationally protected site.

The minister met construction workers before touring the site of the landmark £371 million (US$575 million) project.

Mike Penning said: "The new Hindhead tunnel and bypass will provide real benefits for everyone. Road users, local people, the environment and the economy will all benefit from this major road upgrade. I am impressed by the scheme’s impeccable environmental credentials."

Highways Agency project manager Paul Arnold said: "We are very pleased with the progress we are making on the project. The tunnel is now structurally complete, and in the next few weeks the new section of road at the southern end of the scheme – up to the new Hazel Grove junction – will be completely open to traffic."

27 July 2010