IT WASN’T THE BEST DAY I HAVE EVER HAD. THE STORY ITSELF WAS OF GREAT INTEREST TO ME, THE BUILDING OF THE HINDHEAD TUNNEL ON THE A3, WHICH HAS NOW REACHED THE HALFWAY MARK, AND WE WENT TO FILM THE OCCASION WITH A VISIT TO A LOCAL BLOGGER CALLED DAVE WAREHAM WHO HAS AN EXCELLENT BLOG THAT YOU CAN SEE HERE : http://a3tunnel.blogspot.com/

WHY WASN’T IT A GOOD DAY ? WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE HIGHWAYS DEPARTMENT DECIDED THAT ME AND MY REPORTER WERE NOT WELCOME, AND WE COULD NOT ENTER THE BUILDING SITE. THE HALFWAY MARK OF A MAJOR ROAD CONSTRUCTION, AND THEY DECIDED NOT TO TALK TO US.

I DON’T KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF WHAT IS GOING ON BUT THE PUBLIC RELATIONS TEAM NEED A ROCKET OR SACKED. ONE OR THE OTHER. PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON. ARE THEY ON TARGET? IS ANYTHING HAPPENING THAT THEY NEED TO BE MADE AWARE OF? A MAJOR FEAT OF PLANNING, ENGINEERING AND BUILDING IS TAKING PLACE UNDER OUR NOSES, AND THE PUBLIC RELATIONS AT THE HIGHWAYS AGENCY DECIDE NOT TO TALK TO US .... PLONKERS.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, THE NEMESIS OF ANY CAMERAMAN ARRIVED IN THE FORM OF RAIN. HEAVY RAIN.

TRYING TO FILM CONSTRUCTION SITES FROM THE OUTSIDE, AND DO PIECES TO CAMERA AND INTERVIEWS ARE A REAL PAIN WHEN IT COMES TO BAD PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICERS AND RAIN. IT JUST SPOILS EVERYTHING. NOT ONLY THAT, BROADCAST CAMERAS ARE NOT RENOWNED FOR THIER WATERPROOFING, SO IT JUST MADE FOR A TRULY HORRIBLE DAY.

HOWEVER, WITH GOOD WATERPROOFS AND CAMERA COVERS WE MANAGED TO FILM WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE AN INFORMATIVE AND COHESIVE PACKAGE IN SPITE OF THE BAD WEATHER AND BAD PR, BUT HEY, WITH AN EXCELLENT BLOGGER WHO KNEW HIS BUSINESS, WE DIDN’T NEED THE PR PEOPLE ANYWAY ... WE CAN GET OUR NEWS ELSEWHERE.

YOU CAN SEE THE RESULTS HERE :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8393977.stm