Stonehenge World Heritage Site needs a world class solution to the problem of the surrounding traffic infrastructure. © English Heritage

The Council for British Archaeology (CBA) has responded to news that the proposed tunnelling of a main road past Stonehenge is to be reviewed after its estimated cost doubled. The CBA hopes the Government will reconsider the whole scheme.

“We were strongly opposed to the planned tunnel,” said Mike Heyworth, Director of the CBA. “Now it sounds as if they’re going to kick it into the long grass.”

In 1998, the Government announced plans to take two kilometres of the A303 underground to improve the environment around Stonehenge. After consultation with English Heritage and the National Trust, and a Public Inquiry, the Government was satisfied that the case for the scheme had been made, at a slightly longer length of 2.1km.

However, the Highways Agency’s estimated cost of £284m (assuming construction would begin in spring 2005) has since risen to more than £470m - forcing a re-think. The increase in price is due to large quantities of soft chalk and a high water table, which would significantly complicate the tunnelling process.

The stones as they look today from the junction of the A303 (left) and the A344 (right).

A statement from the CBA confirmed that it remains: “resolutely opposed to the proposals for a short tunnel, which removes the A303 from the immediate vicinity of the stones but only at the cost of major damage to the rest of the World Heritage Site.”

“The CBA believes that it is essential to look beyond the area visible from Stonehenge itself, as its prehistoric builders so clearly did, to appreciate the extraordinary landscape of ceremonial and funerary monuments around it.”

Commenting on the Government's proposed review, Roads Minister Dr Stephen Ladyman said: “Our recognition of the importance of Stonehenge as a World Heritage Site remains unchanged but given the scale of the cost increase we have to re-examine whether the scheme still represents value for money and if it remains the best option for delivering the desired improvements.”

Mike Heyworth explained that for the CBA, the most pressing issue is the closure of the A344 (which runs right by the stones) and the relocation of the visitor centre. He believes there are other options that haven’t been explored, in particular a new surface route outside the World Heritage Site, which the CBA will be strongly pushing for.

Stonehenge as it might look in the future, with a roadless landscape.

However, Tim Jones, Highways Improvement Manager for Wiltshire County Council, believes that the A344 cannot be closed before work is done to improve the capacity of the A303, which will have to take the diverted traffic.

“The queues on the A303 go back miles during peak times,” he said. “The traffic from the A344 will only make that worse.”

Mike Heyworth, on the other hand, insists there is no strong case for keeping it open and believes work could be going ahead now, meaning that English Heritage’s £67m new state-of-the-art visitor centre could also get underway. Wiltshire County Council will not consider the closure until a decision is made on the A303.

While both Mike Heyworth and Tim Jones agree that the junction of the two A-roads is an accident blackspot – particularly because of drivers looking at the stones – the highways manager calls into consideration the local community, who desperately need a bypass and road improvements.

The planned tunnel, which might now be too expensive.

“My personal view is that the village of Winterbourne Stoke tends to get overlooked,” said Tim Jones. “The delay is disappointing for the community.”

In a statement, Jane Scott, leader of Wiltshire County Council, said: "As the government has decided upon a review, we look forward to a quick resolution and emphasise that the solution it finds must comprehensively address the question of Stonehenge and the preservation of one of Britain's most important landmarks."

"We understand that the government has to ensure that the public are getting value for money,” she added. “However, we are very concerned about the impact this review will have on the proposed road scheme and on local communities who are suffering from the effects of traffic passing through their villages.”

Mike Heyworth commented: “It is ironic that the Government has made this announcement during National Archaeology Week ... The CBA urges the Government to use the forthcoming review to seek a world class solution for a world class archaeological landscape.”