Improvements to the A3 at Hindhead in Surrey received full backing from the South East England Regional Transport Board on Friday (6 January). The estimated cost for the scheme is £320 million and it could start as early as 2008/09.

Removing the bottleneck at the A3 is of regional significance and will reduce congestion in Surrey and improve access to South Hampshire ports. The new road and tunnel will also have major environmental benefits for the Devil’s Punch Bowl such as noise reduction and enhancing the habitat value of the area . The Board’s recommendations for the A3 will be submitted to Government at the end of January.

Cllr Nick Skellett, Chairman of the Regional Transport Board said: “Improving the A3 at Hindhead has our full commitment and our advice to Government is that the scheme needs to be delivered as soon as possible, so infrastructure in the area will see positive change. This is such an important project for the region; it will deliver major improvements for the immediate area in Surrey and remove the biggest bottleneck on the route to South Hampshire. On top of that it will have a positive effect on the environment.

“I am disappointed, however, that the Government has not recognised the A3 scheme as of national importance. The A3 scheme has a high price label, which will have funding implications for other schemes in the region.”

The Board will progress work with identifying transport priorities beyond 2010/11, which will be discussed at its meeting on 8 May. This will include proposals along the South Coast.

Contacts

Lesley van Dijk, PR Executive - 01483 555223

Heather Bolton, Communications Director - 01483 555220

Notes to editors:

1. Improvements to the A3 at Hindhead - The new dual carriageway would start at Hammer Lane on the Surrey Hampshire border north to Boundless Road near Thursley. The tunnel would take the A3 past Hindhead and under the Devil's Punch Bowl.
2. The South East England Regional Transport Board operates as a partnership board to advise Government on the region's transport priorities.
3. The Regional Transport Board members:
   Cllr Nick Skellett - Regional Assembly and Chairman of the Board (Surrey County Council),
   Cllr Jill Baston - Regional Assembly (Southampton City Council),
   Cllr John Howarth - Regional Assembly (Reading),
   Cllr Mary Ballin - Regional Assembly (Bracknell Forest Borough Council),
   Tim Lockwood - Regional Assembly (Economic Partners),
   Pam Palmer - Regional Assembly (Social and Environmental Partners),
   John Peel (SEEDA),
   Andy Roberts (Government Office for the South East),
   Ian Hepburn (South East Forum for Sustainability),
   Gwyn Drake (Highways Agency),
   Clive King (Confederation of Passenger Transport) and
   Network Rail (to be invited to attend).
4. The South East England Regional Assembly is the "voluntary regional chamber" for the South East. It was established in January 1999 to give a representative voice to the South East region which covers Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East and West Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, and Surrey.
5. The Regional Assembly is made up of 112 members including elected councillors nominated by the region's local authorities and 37 representatives from other sectors of the community (including business, trades unions, education, housing, health, sports, culture, tourism, faith groups, environmental, community and voluntary organisations) as well as the New Forest National Park Authority..
6. The Assembly has three areas of core business:
1. It is the representative voice of the South East, engaging and representing its member organisations and, through them, the wider public.
2. The Assembly has a specific role under the Regional Development Agencies' Act 1998 to ensure the accountability of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) to the region.
3. The Assembly has been the Regional Planning Body for the South East since April 2001. It has responsibility for proposing strategic planning and transport policies to Government.

Last updated: 21 August 2007