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A3 NORTHBOUND - Sudha Rai (29th Jul 2011 - 13:21:19) Hi, Anyone driven northbound yet? Thanks to Ed for the report on the Southbound drive. Sudha HIGHWAYS AGENCY News Release issued by COI News Distribution Service on 29 July 2011 The new A3 Hindhead Tunnel is now open to traffic in both directions. Following final work to align the new and existing carriageways the northbound bore of the tunnel opened to traffic at 11.25am this morning.

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - liz (29th Jul 2011 - 14:43:28) According to Wikipedia that's "four days ahead of schedule". Oh really? I wonder who wrote that! No I'm not really wingeing, I'm thrilled to bits about the tunnel opening.

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Jenny (29th Jul 2011 - 17:47:59) Just driven Northbound through the tunnel to Thursley and then back Southbound - absolutely brilliant. Free-flowing - no lights needed as it is lit to daylight - longer than I anticipated - brilliant! Got stuck for 30 minutes going through Guildford, broken down car, but then 70mph all the way to Liphook. How cool is that ?

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (1st Aug 2011 - 10:15:30) It was quite slow going through yesterday - Leaving Liphook, road fine. When close to tunnel, speed signs suddenly showed 40 mph and then, on approaching tunnel, the big sign that showed 40 mph as you go down the slope seemed to change to NSL, but the drivers were obviously worried by the 40 signs and the camera warnings, all went through at 40. The big sign had those slats on, like advertisements sometimes do, the ones that change as you watch. I don't know what you call them. Such a disappointment, was hoping to time the journey exactly. I went through at 14:00 with no problems, most people are still doing no more than 60mph in the actual tunnel in both lanes, but hopefully the novelty will wear off and the drive through speed will be nearer 70. But it knocked 10 minutes off a rare 'clear' run over the punch bowl

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (1st Aug 2011 - 10:27:14) Maybe 70 is a tad fast - Swiss tunnels are usually 80 kph - but 70 is definitely dangerous coming so soon after the 40 mph is lifted, when the 40 is only for a few hundred yards. People very impatient behind the slow ones. And the NSL signs in tunnel are a bit small and don't really look much like a normal de-limit sign.

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Jane G (1st Aug 2011 - 10:41:36) Travelled to Guildford this morning leaving Liphook at 8.40....arrived in Guildford at 9am....fantastic! Same 20 minute journey coming home :-)

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (1st Aug 2011 - 11:23:13) Jane, did they still have the 40 mph stretch for a couple of hundred yards before the tunnel? Just to confirm - there was no 40mph limit at 14:00 yesterday (Sunday)

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Jane G (1st Aug 2011 - 11:37:09) Mary...no there is no 40mph speed limit now as the editor said. Jane

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Dave (1st Aug 2011 - 12:32:02) I think the problem with the speed is a common one in the UK - namely that most drivers do not understand what the "National Speed Limit Applies" sign means. By which I mean foreign drivers, UK drivers who learned to drive in another country and so on. It only takes one such person to reduce the speed of all the traffic following behind them. I used to live near the A6 in Bedfordshire and, during the seven years I lived there, I never once managed to drive the 10 miles or so from Clophill to Bedford at anything close an average of 60mph (the speed limit on a single carriageway road where the National Speed Limit Applies). So, people do not know what the correct road speed is and this, combined with a terror of being caught speeding and all that that entails, err too far on the side of caution and end up driving much too slowly than is appropriate. Finally, it wouldn't be so much of a problem if these people kept to the inside lane, but they don't. I'd like to see people driving at 40mph through the tunnel tested on the other side to see if they know what the correct speed limit is.

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Chris S (1st Aug 2011 - 12:32:22) Yesterday lunchtime there was 40mph limit on the approach going Northbound and signs warning of congestion. There was a broken down car just after the exit from the tunnel and a lane partially coned off. I assume that the 40mph limit was due to the broken down car, but could be wrong.

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Eneida (1st Aug 2011 - 16:30:56) Have just got back from our first drive through the Tunnel to Guildford. As we got to the northbound end there was a 40 MPH sign and then...would you believe it...a long queue of cars...one lane shut...and a sign saying Pedestrians on Road!!! However we couldn't see any pedestrians or broken down cars, so don't know what that was all about. Coming back was brilliant :)

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (1st Aug 2011 - 17:50:52) Eneida - after you saw the 40 mph signs, were the NSL signs still on display all along the tunnel, or were they changed to 40 as well? The problem when I went through was that the 40 was showing briefly in the big sign just outside the tunnel. But, I must have followed our Ed because we left Liphook at exactly 1.24 (I was going to do a test run to Weybridge) but presumably was on the 'cusp' of the change back to NSL. Coming home took exactly 35 minutes, which isn't bad. Aren't we sad, like kids with a new toy!

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Eneida (1st Aug 2011 - 22:09:42) Hi Mary, The 40 mph sign was on at the approach to the tunnel but, after all our excitement and anticipation of going through it for the 'first time' and then encountering a queue, I can't really remember if they were on afterwards too...sorry!! Weybridge...my goodness I know it so well...my late mother lived there for over 40 years...is that where you come from?? You don't have to answer that...just curious :)

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (3rd Aug 2011 - 17:45:08) Eneida - We moved to Walton in the late sixties - I went to SWPS in Chertsey - did you go there?

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Eneida (3rd Aug 2011 - 19:53:12) Hi Mary, I've known Walton and Weybridge since I was a little girl in the late 50s but I've no idea what SWPS in Chertsey stands for...so I guess I didn't go there :D

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (3rd Aug 2011 - 20:51:58) My school!

Re: A3 NORTHBOUND - Mary W (3rd Aug 2011 - 21:13:58) Recommended driver behaviour whilst driving through a road tunnel. 1. Take off sunglasses upon entering. 2. Observe all traffic signs, speed limits and road markings. 3. Use headlights (not full beam) if conditions or regulatory signage dictate. 4. Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front. 5. If driving a HGV leave a 4 second gap between you and the vehicle in front. 6. Do not overtake or change lanes unless directed to do so by a sign or Police / Traffic Officer’s instruction. 7. Never perform a U turn inside a tunnel or move in a reverse direction. Remember what happened to Lady Di...

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