LIPHOOK Parish Council has called for action in removing the only roundabout of its kind between Portsmouth and London, before the A3 Hindhead tunnel is built.

Parish councillors hope that the days of the notorious egg-shaped Ham Barn roundabout on the A3 are numbered following a meeting this week.

The roundabout, on the major Portsmouth to London trunk road, is sited on the A3 near Greatham with two exits on to the B3006 towards Liss in one direction and Selborne in the other.

It has been the scene of at least 15 major incidents since the Liphook and Petersfield A3 by-pass was opened eight years ago,

The chilling accident statistics includes a number of 38-ton juggernauts that have flipped over on to their sides since £110,00 worth of safety measures were introduced in 1996. The most recent of these incident, which over the years have been nicknamed ÒHam rollsÓ, happened in October last year.

The improvements Ð which included signs, road markings and anti-skid surfaces Ð were installed after a long campaign by local residents. Parish councillors recommended at a meeting of the parish council on Monday night that the roundabout be replaced with a junction.

Jim Walters put forward a motion that the parish council should write to the Highways Agency to ask that the roundabout be removed, as it Òforms an inappropriate and poorly designed obstruction to the free flow of trafficÓ.

Mr Walters explained that the proposal arose from discussions during the councilÕs Highways, Byways and Transport forum. He said the suggestion had come from PC Eric Martin, based at Hampshire policeÕs traffic unit.

ÒItÕs an obstruction, I wonÕt call it a roundabout,Ó Mr Walters said. ÒAlthough there have been no fatalities, a number of lorries have overturned, and itÕs generally a nuisance.Ó

Mr Walters believed that if the roundabout was removed adequate exits could still be provided.

ÒThe thing has been a menace ever since itÕs been there, so itÕs a good idea to get rid of it,Ó he said. ÒItÕs the only obstruction on the road from London to Portsmouth.Ó

Chairman Alan Jordan agreed. ÒEven as roundabouts go, itÕs appallingly designed,Ó he said.

Anna James said she had one concern, that traffic heading south to Selbourne should not be allowed to go off at Longmoor Road and through Greatham.

ÒIt would be a nightmare for Greatham,Ó she said.

John Tough said that the roundabout needed to be replaced with a junction.

ÒIt does worry me, because unless thereÕs going to be some form of junction, there will be a problem getting to and from Liss and Selbourne,Ó he said.

Mr Jordan said the purpose of the motion was to initiate a debate, and so the council unanimously agreed to write to the Highways Agency with their views.

After the meeting, Pc Martin told The Herald that the police had concerns about the roundabout in light of the forthcoming Hindhead tunnel scheme.

ÒWhen the new tunnel is completed, the Ham Barn roundabout would provide some concern for local police, regarding the possibility of collision as a result of it being the only roundabout on this kind of road from here to Glasgow,Ó he said.