Highways Agency

• A3 Hindhead Improvement

A3 Hindhead Improvement

Walking, Cycling and Horse Riding - The Existing Situation

Hindhead Common, Boundless Valley, Tyndall's Wood and Bramshott Common are all areas extensively used by walkers, recreational cyclist and horse riders, but their enjoyment and safety is spoiled by the existing A3 trunk road which splits the area in half, creating a barrier that many are loath to cross.

The existing A3 is also an obstacle to utility cyclists, i.e. those that want to cycle for non-recreational reasons such as getting to work or school or shopping. These include longer journeys, for example cycling to work in Milford from Grayshott, or those making shorter local journeys, for example cycling to school from Hindhead to Woolmer Hill.

Consultation

In preparing the scheme, the Highways Agency has consulted with local representative of groups such as the Ramblers' Association, the British Horse Society, the High Pitfold Riders' Group, Cyclists' Touring Club, Waverley Cycle Forum and East Hants Cycle Forum.

New Safe Crossing Points

The Scheme has been designed to include safe crossing places for walkers, horse riders and cyclists as follows:

• the Canadian Memorial Underpass - which passes under the existing A3 about 1km south of the scheme allowing free access between the two halves of Bramshott Common, which are currently split by the existing A3 dual carriageway;
• Hammer Lane Underpass - this also passes under the A3 near Bramshott Chase and has a route for horseriders in its south verge;
• High Pitfold Underpass - this crosses under the new A3 connecting Kingswood Lane and High Pitfold, an important route into Waggoners Wells and Ludshott Common;
• Hazel Grove Junction Bridge - which has a cycleway in its south verge to provide a route across the A3 to the Royal and Amesbury Schools;
• Miss James Footbridge - which carries Miss James Walk across the road and allows local people to continue using this popular footpath which runs along the edge of Tyndall's Wood (the National trust have agreed to dedicate the remainder of the route as a Bridleway);
• Blackhanger Underpass - which takes Boundless Road under the new road, connecting the network of paths and country lanes to the east of the new road with those on the west, and in particular with the new bridleway and cycle path which running along the line of the existing A3 and the Old Portsmouth Road which leads up to Gibbett Hill;
• Greensand Way Underpass - this is located just south of the new Thursley Junction and provides a safe crossing for the Greensand Way, a popular long distance path, under the existing A3.

Closure of the existing A3 across Hindhead Common would also mean that the Common is no longer divided and walkers, cyclists and horse riders would be able to use the network of paths across the Common without disturbance from traffic noise and without the risk of road crossings.

New Paths and Routes

One of the greatest difficulties that walkers, cyclists and horse riders face at present is getting to destinations along the line of the existing A3.

The A3 Hindhead Scheme design includes new largely off-road routes along the entire scheme, i.e. from the Canadian Memorial Underpass to Thursley comprising:

• a 3m wide cycleway from the Canadian Memorial underpass to Knockhundred and Hammer Lanes along the east verge of the road, and a further cycleway in the west verge connecting Bridleway 71, which runs across Bramshott Common, to Hammer Lane Underpass;
• a 3m wide cycleway in the west verge of the existing A3 from Hammer Lane all the way through to Hindhead Crossroads, providing cyclists with a safe route from the Grayshott and Hindhead residential areas to the network of paths and lanes in the Bramshott and Woolmer Hill areas. At Hindhead Crossroads, toucan crossings would be installed to allow the safe crossing of both the existing A3 and A287;
• London Road, which would be reduced to an access only for motorised traffic, from Hindhead Crossroad to the National Trust Café;
• a route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders along the line of Old Portsmouth Road (BOAT 500). This would be a 3m wide paved cycle path (suitable for use by road cyclists) with a 2m wide grass-gravel horse path alongside. Across Hindhead Common, the existing A3 would be restored to heathland between the NT Café and the access to the youth hostel. The paved cycle path would also be available for use by those in wheelchairs or with pushchairs - a use that is expected to be popular, as it would lead up a gentle gradient to the Sailor's Stone and Gibbett Hill, where panoramic views across the Surrey countryside can be seen;
• North of the youth hostel access, the existing A3 would be kept, but reduced in width to 3.5m for use as an access to the youth hostel and two other properties in the Punch Bowl, and as a continuation of the cycle and horse path;
• Blackhanger through to Thursley, cyclists, walkers and horse riders would be able to use the Boundless to Thursley Link, a new country lane 3.5m wide with passing places and a horse margin.

View the proposed and existing cycle routes plan showing how the new cycle route along the line of the A3 would provide a valuable connection between existing cycle routes, producing the continuous network for use by both recreational and utility cyclists.

Safer Routes to School

The new footways and cycle paths would provide Safer Routes to Schools in a number of ways. The shared pedestrian/cycle path on the west side of the existing A3 would provide a link from the residential areas of Grayshott and Hindhead to:

• Woolmer Hill School - via the Hammer Lane underpass;
• The Royal Junior School - via the shared pedestrian/cycle path that crosses over the new A3 at Hazel Grove Junction;
• Amesbury School - via the shared path at Hazel Grove Junction or via High Pitfold Underpass;
• St Edmund's School - with the new path next to the existing A3 connecting directly to the school's front driveway.