A treacherous pothole concealed on a motorway slip road wreaked havoc last night, mangling the wheels of at least 14 vehicles and leaving a trail of stranded motorists along the M3 in Hampshire.
Chaos on the Hard Shoulder
The incident unfolded on the entry slip road from the A303 to the M3 northbound. From around 7pm on Thursday evening, drivers began falling victim to the hidden hazard, which was described as looking like a patch of new tarmac. The result was severe damage, with multiple vehicles suffering burst tyres and buckled wheels, forcing them onto the hard shoulder.
Among those affected was therapist Colin Harding, 64, who was on his way to Gatwick Airport to collect a disabled friend. "The jolt in the car was like nothing I had ever felt before. It was like I had fallen down the pothole," he recounted. After pulling over, he discovered both tyres on the passenger side of his car were destroyed and the wheels themselves were bent out of shape.
Mr Harding reported that eight other cars were already stranded when he arrived. He called 999 at approximately 19:50, frustrated by the initial lack of official response. He finally left the scene at 21:25, only able to continue his journey at 50mph on temporary tyres.
Emergency Response and Overnight Repairs
The scale of the damage necessitated the closure of one lane on the A303 slip road, causing significant traffic build-up. A joint team from Hampshire Highways and the AA attended with mobile tyre changers and recovery vehicles to assist the stricken motorists, though the process was slow.
National Highways confirmed that the dangerous pothole was repaired overnight on Thursday. The agency stated that safety is its primary concern and that defects posing a risk are repaired within 24 hours. They also encouraged the public to report potholes via their customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Safety Fears and Lingering Concerns
Mr Harding expressed serious concerns about what could have been a far worse outcome. "I was only going 50 miles per hour and two wheels buckled. What would have happened if I had been going 70?" he questioned. He also highlighted the danger posed by the line of damaged cars on the hard shoulder, warning it could have led to a major collision.
While the immediate defect was fixed, it is understood that further repairs to the slip road surface were scheduled for Friday night. The lane remained closed into Friday afternoon as emergency work continued. Hampshire County Council has been approached for comment on the incident.
