kira@beechleaf.co.uk
Stonehenge Project Team
Highways Agency
Zone 2-05/K
Temple Quay House
2 The Square
Temple Quay
BRISTOL BS1 6HA
To Whom It May Concern,
A303 Stonehenge Improvement
I am writing to register my objections to
the draft A303 Trunk Road (Stonehenge Improvement). I do not believe it to be the best or
most sustainable option for the area, and I respectfully request that you consider
seriously every feasible alternative.
My prime concern is for the sensitive archeology
abundant in the area, a great deal of which has not yet been properly explored. The tunnels
construction may well disturb and destroy instances of archeology not yet discovered, and
I feel this too great a risk to take. I see the schemes aim of intending to return
Stonehenge to a more natural area as admirable, but dont agree that boring a tunnel
under the landscape is a reasonable or practical way to go about it.
I am also extremely alarmed that the new highway
scheme is being proposed to ease, even solve traffic congestion issues. The only ways
truly to eradicate such difficulties are to improve the nations public
transportation network and to educate automobile users in alternative methods of transport
and in the long-term benefits of not being so dependent on cars.
Simply building a wider road will not provide any permanent
solution. It will merely lead to a continuing build-up of more dense congestion which in
turn will prompt future highways authority to widen roads even further (and further).
For a sensible, sound decision to be made in the best
interests of all concerned more time is needed. More time, more consideration, and most of
all more patience. I hope that you and your colleagues will act responsibly and do what is
needed to solve properly Stonehenges problems.
Below I have included some of the point made by the
dedicated individuals at savestonehenge.org.uk, as I believe their points to be valid and
worthwhile.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Yours Sincerely,
Kira
From savestonehenge.org.uk...
* The proposed
highway scheme would cause considerable environmental damage to the Stonehenge World
Heritage Site and the archaeologically and environmentally important surrounding area. According
to the Stonehenge Management Plan, prepared for UNESCO: "The Stonehenge World Heritage Site is
internationally recognized as an outstanding archaeological landscape. Inscription on the
World Heritage List places Stonehenge, with Avebury and its associated sites, beside other
World Heritage Sites of outstanding universal value such as the Pyramids in Egypt, the Taj
Mahal in India and the Great Wall of China."
* The proposed highway would have negative impacts on
the internationally important rivers Till and Avon, noise impacts on Stonehenge and local
communities, and a number of other adverse environmental impacts that the Highways
Agency's plans do not properly consider or address.
* The proposed highway would be over twice as wide as
the existing one. This would encourage traffic growth, causing further safety problems
elsewhere along the A303 route and in neighbouring communities.
* The proposed highway contravenes a number of
important policies and plans, most notably the Stonehenge World Heritage Site Management
Plan, but also planning policy guidance notes.
* A variety of alternative plans for Stonehenge have
not been explored, publicized, or financially investigated. I believe it is contrary to
European environmental law to pursue the current highway scheme before other alternatives
have been properly considered.
I request you to hold a full public inquiry into the
plan at which objections can be discussed and alternatives can be explored in detail.
(Ed. Kira's details have been edited from this letter for reasons of privacy but if
you want to contact her, her e-mail address appears at the head of the letter.)
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