THE importance of the A3 tunnel at Hindhead was due to be discussed on Wednesday at a special debate in a Westminster Hall debate. SW Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt secured a debate where he was due to challenge the minister with responsibility for the A3 tunnel scheme to meet him and other MPs to discuss its importance. He said it is vital that a date for the work to begin is guaranteed as soon as possible. "Although the economic impact of the bottleneck at Hindhead is far reaching, it is the environmental considerations that hurt South West Surrey the most," Mr Hunt told The Herald before the debate. "Day after day, commuters sit at the Hindhead traffic lights, pumping out fumes, destroying the rural character of a lovely area." MPs were expected to highlight the reasons why the scheme is so vital, including the fact that it is an appalling transport trouble spot and the Devil's Punch Bowl is scarred by traffic. And Hindhead is the only area in the route between Portsmouth and Scotland that has no dual carriageway. MPs from the south coast are expected to argue that Portsmouth is the second most popular passenger port in the UK and a key gateway to Europe. The traffic lights at Hindhead are the only ones between Scotland and Portsmouth and MPs say the tunnel is important for regeneration of the Portsmouth and Isle of Wight area. • Full report next week.