STRATEGIES by Highways England to ensure traffic diversions run more smoothly when A3 Hindhead Tunnel is closed, were picked apart at Waverley Local Committee last Friday.

The first night of a four-day planned closure of the southbound tunnel with a contra-flow in operation from August 6 was described as a ‘complete disaster’ by Hindhead county councillor David Harmer.

But Mr Harmer confirmed the system worked better on the remaining three nights.

The northbound tunnel was closed for maintenance between 9pm and 6am from Monday until Thursday this week, and traffic diverted through the southbound tunnel in contraflow under a 40mph speed limit.

Problems were caused on August 6, after lorry drivers followed their satnavs instead of diversion signs on the A3 and clogged narrow village roads.

At last week’s meeting, Highways England came under fire from Farnham South county councillor Wyatt Ramsdale for diversions that sent lorries that were ‘too high’ down unsuitable roads with low bridges, notably the A325 at Wrecclesham.

Highways England service delivery manager Matthew Salt told the committee, the agency was, “fully aware of the disruption such closures can cause,” and said he was looking at ways to minimise problems caused due to the maintenance works.

Since it opened in 2011, there have been six weekly sets of night-time maintenance works carried out and since December 2017, full closures have been required to resolve technology issues in the mile-long tunnel.

Highways England has looked into the possibility of having traffic officers permanently placed there. It was not deemed ‘economically viable’ and its officers can only be summoned from elsewhere.

The agency is now discussing with Surrey Police if its service provider Keir, which is based at the tunnel, could be accredited so staff members could be given official powers to direct traffic during unplanned closures.

Committee members were given Kier’s tunnel briefing note, which reported that between December 2017 and August 19, 2018, there were 35 breakdowns, two potholes filled, one crash and one pedestrian reported in the road. Outside the tunnel, there was one vehicle fire and one crash.

Kier confirmed that Thursley had experienced “some issues with vehicles in the village” during planned maintenance work in August and was looking into improvements.

Highways England and Kier met with Surrey Police, the county council, Waverley Borough Council and the chairmen of parish councils representing Haslemere, Thursley and Churt, in February, to review signage and diversions, due to local concerns.

The £370million tunnel took three years to complete.