For in three years' time they will represent a joyous landmark for tens of thousands of drivers every day, including those from the Midhurst area heading to Guildford and the M25.

These twin tubes, with two lanes in each, will whisk motorists through one of Britain's most notorious traffic bottlenecks.

In about 60 seconds they will transport them through what, at peak times, can currently take 40 minutes of steering wheel-drumming agony – the Hindhead crossroads and the Devil's Punch Bowl.

These are the first pictures inside the boreholes of the
tunnel which, when it is finished, will run for 1.2 miles in both directions through the sandstone beneath the beauty spot on the Hampshire/Surrey border.

It is the focal point of a £371m new A3 which will wipe out
the last stretch of single carriageway on trunk roads and motorways between Portsmouth and Scotland.

More than 35,000 vehicles a day will use it.

Giant excavators started clawing their way through the rock from both ends in March this year.

Project director Paul Hoyland said: "Everything is going according to plan.

"They are due to meet in March next year and the new road is scheduled to open in August, 2011."


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