Graham wrote:It was an absolute requirement that the [ old A3 road structure ] should be removed BY THE NATIONAL TRUST that determined the eventual outcome.
In other words the National Trust had the final say - some inalienable right to decide on the usage of the land.
They said that they would only agree to the building of the tunnel if the old A3 was removed entirely.
After recent visit to the punchbowl I would say that the National Trust have failed in their objective to return the path of the old A3 to nature.
Walkers/Cyclists/Horses have worn a bare track along the profile of the old road. There is at least one unsurfaced path with multiple parallel paths in various places.
Where vegetation has been worn away the underlying material is debris from the old road.
The attempt to fence this ground off from the users and to plant it up such that the users would stay away has obviously failed.
The opportunity to leave a narrow section of old road for various users was lost with nothing gained as far as I can see.
Meanwhile, the newly-built track along the high ridge is too narrow for the volume of walkers, cyclists & horses.
EDIT : . . . ALL as foreseen by CJ, right at the beginning of this topic . . . . .