Last month, East Hampshire District councillor for Grayshott Ferris Cowper wrote to the Highways AgencyÕs chief executive Tim Matthews bemoaning the increasing queues and dangerous road layout at the notorious crossroads.
This week he expressed his Òextreme disappointmentÓ at the response.
The reply is extremely disappointing to put it mildly and condemns the residents of Grayshott and the surrounding villages to nine years of misery, anger and frustration, until the tunnel opens.Ó
In a letter to Mr Cowper, Mr Matthews states that the traffic layout at the Hindhead crossroads is Òthe best that can be providedÓ.
ÒAny further major improvement would potentially require acquisition of land and property and cannot be justified in view of the proposed construction of the Hindhead Tunnel scheme,Ó Mr Matthews stated.
He added that the scheme that removed the short southbound two lane section of road leading up to the traffic islands at the National Trust car park entrance had improved safety.
ÒWith the introduction of the islands, I accept that the queues may be longer, but the traffic is now better controlled as a result,Ó he added.
Mr Matthews accepted that the left turn on the southbound Portsmouth Road coming into Haslemere was a Òtight manoeuvreÓ but added that it was a Òsignificant improvementÓ over the previous layout.
Mr Cowper has said that the layout may seem acceptable from an Òivory towerÓ but not from the back of any of the various tailbacks local drivers have to sit in every day.
ÒI believe that without a full revision of the design of this junction over the short term prior to the opening of the tunnel,we will encounter regular peak time gridlock every day of the working week, within three years,Ó Mr Cowper argued.
He goes on to claim that within five years the problems will spread, creating frequent off-peak daytime gridlock, especially in the summer and after the South Downs National Park opens
ÒWhen the earth-moving trucks start rolling and the construction traffic is added to our woes, I think weÕll all have to move away!Ó he said.
Mr Cowper believes that the HighwayÕs Agency have not responded more positively because it is a relatively new governmental entity and lacks any form of electoral accountability.
ÒThis probably explains their reluctance to consult over this matter,Ó he said.
An offer of Grayshott Village Hall for a public meeting on the issue by Mr Cowper was rejected by Mr Matthews in his response.
ÒI think that the folk of Grayshott and Hindhead have been so patient over this situation for so long and have given every opportunity for the agency to provide us with an effective solution,Ó Mr Cowper continued. ÒI feel it is grotesquely unjust that their reward is the piecemeal, Heath Robinson effort, riddled with so many design bungles, that Mr Matthews feels is Ôthe best that can be providedÕ.Ó
Mr Matthews did promise that the agencyÕs route manager Ted Hart would be in touch with Mr Cowper to further discuss the A3.
ÒIn the meantime, it seems to me, the Highways AgencyÕs best advice to us should be to settle back, buy a good in-car hi-fi and start to enjoy the traffic jams,Ó the councillor said, Òbecause theyÕre here for another nine years and theyÕre going to get worse.Ó
This week Jack Worth who lives close to the new traffic layout on the A3 predicted that the Òlog jam at Hindhead traffic lightsÓ was set to get worse.
With vehicles en-route to Haslemere blocking the A3 access road into the TyndallÕs Pine site, Mr Worth is critical of the situation.
ÒIt does not take any imagination to see what will happen when the site opens and its commuters are trying to gain access.
ÒThey will come face to face with Haslemere traffic sand can only back-up into the southbound lane log jamming the traffic lights even further.Ó
ÒThe traffic flow at the lights is already worse than before the so-called alignment improvement,Ó he claimed.
And he condemned Waverley Borough Council and the Highways Agency who he said Òhave much to answer for in this continuing shambles which can only much worse.Ó