The Hindhead tunnel fulfilled an unseen purpose as it became the UK’s newest race track for a catalogue of high-performance cars. The tunnel built to divert traffic away from the homes of locals has resulted in dismay as ‘wealthy, young drivers’ scream through over and over to break their own lap times.
Locals said the Hindhead tunnel at night is a ‘dangerous no-go zone’ and has caused sleepless nights. Local resident William Broadhurst said “They’re turning up in their souped-up cars so they’re obviously not just young drivers. They are brainless, mindless thugs.”
Neighbourhood specialist officer for Surrey Police Jason Clifford said, “It would appear that the enthusiasts are keen to experience the longest under-land road tunnel in the United Kingdom and for some this has led to some extreme driving practices.
Surrey Police will not tolerate anti-social driving and has, as a direct result of reports and complaints from local residents, set up specific taskings to tackle the behaviour.”
The GBP 371M (USD 598.3M) Hindhead tunnel opened on 29 July on time and on budget. It was hailed as a success all round from a construction point of view. When it opened, project designer Mott MacDonald predicted a flow of 30,000 vehicles per day.
