On the 6th December 2007 in a dramatic policy reversal the
Government scrapped it's plans for a tunnel to divert the A303 away from
Stonehenge ancient monument.
Here are comments from English Heritage and others and
news reports from the time.
ENGLISH HERITAGE STATEMENT 6th December 2007
"English Heritage is very disappointed that the 2.1km bored tunnel scheme will
not go ahead because it signals the end of
the Stonehenge improvement plans that have been championed by the DCMS and
English Heritage over the last eight years. The
plans, collectively decided upon by a range of national and regional
stakeholders, were a practical means by which the
agreed vision for the Stonehenge World Heritage Site could have been achieved.
However, it is encouraging that the Government recognises that improving the
setting of the Stones and the visitor facilities
is a priority. English Heritage will work closely with all interested parties to
look into alternative ways to achieve this."
Reported by the BBC 6th December 2007
English Heritage said it is very disappointed plans for a 2.1km bored tunnel
taking traffic away from Stonehenge have been shelved.
The announcement, made in a parliamentary statement, concluded the £540m for the
proposed tunnel scheme could not be justified. English Heritage said it was
encouraged the setting of the stones and a visitor centre were still a priority.
The cost of the 2.1km-long (1.3 mile) scheme had soared from £223m.
Transport Minister Tom Harris said allocating such
sums "cannot be justified and would not represent best use of taxpayers' money".
In a parliamentary written answer, Mr Harris said a review of the
Stonehenge improvement plan - which had been the subject of a public inquiry -
had identified a shortlist of possible options, including routes to the north
and south of Stonehenge. "After careful consideration, we have now concluded
that, due to significant environmental constraints across the whole of the World
Heritage Site, there are no acceptable alternatives to the 2.1km bored tunnel
scheme. "The government recognises the importance of
the A303 Stonehenge improvement scheme and that the announcement would come as a
considerable disappointment for the project's supporters."
He said the Highways Agency would investigate possible small-scale
improvements to the A303 as part of its overall stewardship of the route.
From Archaeo News 9th December 2007
"The decision to axe the 1.3 mile tunnel along with
a bypass to the west of the monument and a flyover to the east follows a
detailed review of the plans by the Department for Transport. The Government’s
decision also means that English Heritage, which owns the site, has had to
cancel plans for a £67 million visitor centre, and English Heritage said it is
very disappointed plans have been shelved. Bodies including the Council for
British Archaeology, the International Council for Monuments and Sites and the
National Trust, were among those advocating a longer tunnel to protect
Stonehenge, a World Heritage Site since 1986.
After years of argument over how to ease congestion around the stone circle
in Wiltshire, ministers said they had decided that a tunnel would cost too much.
The announcement, made in a parliamentary statement, concluded the £540m for the
proposed tunnel scheme could not be justified. The cost of the 2.1km-long (1.3
mile) scheme had soared from £223m. Transport Minister Tom Harris said
allocating such sums "cannot be justified and would not represent best use of
taxpayers' money". He also ruled out other options that would have taken the
A303 well to the north or south of the stones, on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire. At
present, the A303 runs 150 yards from the stones. It is one of the few remaining
single-carriageway sections of the key holiday route to Devon and Cornwall and
is heavily congested in the spring and summer. In a parliamentary written
answer, Mr Harris said "The government recognises the importance of the A303
Stonehenge improvement scheme and that the announcement would come as a
considerable disappointment for the project's supporters."
The decision was welcomed by the Save Stonehenge organisation. Spokesman
Chris Woodford said that only a 1.3-mile section of the proposed 7.7-mile route
would have been underground and that the decision "was the only sensible
outcome". Denise Carlo, of the Campaign for Better Transport (formerly Transport
2000), said: "We've been saying for years that the plan to build a tunnel and
road through the Stonehenge World Heritage Site would be an environmental and
financial disaster." But shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said:
"Stonehenge's World Heritage status will be in jeopardy if this problem remains
unsolved." Ms Villiers said the United Nations' cultural arm Unesco had called
on the government in July to explain its lack of progress on the scheme, which
was announced in 1998. "A solution is further away than ever despite £23 million
having been spent on preparations for a tunnel which is no longer going to be
built. Why has this government taken 10 years only to come back to square one?
This is one of the most notorious traffic bottlenecks in the country, it impacts
on great swathes of the south west who will feel betrayed by this announcement.
One of our greatest cultural icons has been left in limbo for a decade as a
result of this government's total inability to make a decision or deliver on
their very clear promises."
The British Government remains committed to working with stakeholders in
investigating options for improving the environment of Stonehenge, including new
visitor facilities, and exploring possible small scale measures to improve
traffic flows and safety along this section of the A303. The Liberal Democrats
said the decision "Puts a UNESCO World Heritage site at risk of damage from the
ever-increasing volume of traffic." English Heritage issued a statement saying
"It is encouraging that the Government recognises that improving the setting of
the Stones and the visitor facilities is a priority. English Heritage will work
closely with other stakeholders to look into alternative ways to achieve this."
Archaeo News website can be found
HERE
What Car 12th December 2007
"The 2.1km tunnel to take
the A303 under the national monument was finally
ditched on cost grounds by transport minister Tom
Harris last week. All alternative overland options
were ruled out as unacceptable as they run through
or close to the World Heritage Site. Professor
Stephen Glaister of Imperial College advocated road
pricing to fund projects.
"We accept tunnels for rail, but not for roads. Is
it worth doing, and who will pay? Road pricing
solves both problems," he said.
Former transport minister Stephen Ladyman had
ordered an investigation into alternatives to the
tunnel when costs soared .
The 2.1km bored tunnel would have taken the A303
under its current alignment, freeing Stonehenge from
the pressures of passing traffic.
There were strong environmental arguments both for
and against the scheme.
"Due to significant environmental constraints across
the whole of the World Heritage Site, there are no
acceptable alternatives to the 2.1km bored tunnel
scheme," said Harris.
"
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