The government has unveiled a £371M improvement to the A3 at Hindhead, Surrey. The construction will upgrade the London to Portsmouth road from single to dual carriageway, including two new tunnels through the Devil's Punch Bowl, an area of special scientific interest.
The work will remove the current road, which skirts the Devil's Punch Bowl, and introduce several underpasses to allow horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians to cross the new A3 and 7km of cycle track.'This is a scheme that has something for everyone. It will remove the daily congestion and journey unreliability caused by unacceptable bottlenecks around the A3/A287 traffic light-controlled crossroads, benefiting both longer distance drivers and local communities. Air pollution and traffic queues in Hindhead will be significantly reduced and the removal of the old A3 will provide a unique opportunity for environmental regeneration and recreational opportunities. Alongside this, Portsmouth will have its own dual carriageway link to the M25, improving opportunities for the business community,' said government transport minister Stephen Ladyman.Construction will begin in January 2007, with the tunnels opening to traffic in 2011.
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