PRESS RELEASE 03-06
13th June, 2003

Fair Comparison with Official Stonehenge Roads Plan in Peril

With draft Orders for the official A303 Improvement Scheme published on 5th June, 2003 three months of public consultation began. It ends on 4th September. By that time all objections must be in the hands of the Highways Agency (HA). That is perfectly normal and it is anticipated that there will be sufficient soundly based objections for the Minister to decide that a Public Inquiry should be held. But for this project there is another, unusual dimension.

An alternative route planned, refined and promoted over three years and very strongly supported locally, was designed primarily to remove all roads from the World Heritage Site (WHS). As the ACT Parker Plan developed, it also brought solutions to other long running traffic problems, two of them currently the subject of separate HA projects. Others recognised but lacking funds have no prospect of solution. After touring the route the Regional Director HA said that aligned to Stonehenge alone the Plan would not succeed but taking the other very significant benefits into account including savings approaching £100 million, it was worthy of investigation.

A multitude of politicians, officials and a Minister have advised that our plan should be put forward as an objection at Public Inquiry. Why such flawed advice should be given is unclear but an Inquiry Inspector could not to consider a plan which extends beyond his remit; our proposal would be binned at all the three inquiries it covers. It now appears that using the ACT Plan as an objection to the Stonehenge Scheme would mean evaluation by the HA only as far as it affects their Scheme, it would fail the cost benefit test and be rejected effectively for all three HA projects it covers.

One avenue remains but it would have to be carried through, probably for a Ministerial decision, before the 4th September deadline. This process began months ago but the pace will not produce a result in time. Both the Minister for Transport, John Spellar MP, and a representative of the Government Office for the South West (GOSW) indicated that if recommended for advanced evaluation of the ACT Parker Plan by the District and County Councils, funding could be found to allow the plan to seek acceptance as a viable alternative. Can local government respond in time?

ACT is urging the two Councils to accelerate the process immediately. Lacking the expertise to judge technical validity of the ACT Plan, their sole consideration must be to decide whether a reasonable case has been made for the route and more so for the statement of the benefits it offers. Aware of the comments made by officials from the lead Agencies involved and the fact that competent chartered engineers have seen and commented favourably on the route, the long-winded approach must be questioned. Time is now crucial.

Finally, there is the matter of support from the many respected organisations loudly declaring opposition to the HA Scheme. Some, especially those with a sensitive archaeological or environmental outlook, must realise that the ACT Parker Plan cannot be a fall back position if it is dead. The green case is thin. The Plan needs 22 miles of new road but, uniquely, gives 5½ road miles around the Henge back to nature, whereas the official combination of roads totals 20 miles with 3 miles grassed over for less benefit. Further the inevitable future Salisbury Bypass will need more than four times the road and cost compared with the ACT solution.

Consider the cost of the 1.3 mile tunnel, its long term operating and dedicated emergency service costs. It is inconceivable that government would consider (having said they won't) double the length and the £400 million cost. Some have said leave the road where it is; how utterly absurd! It is almost too late to admit that the ACT Plan is the only alternative they could accept - but they must and very quickly.