The Countess Road Residents' Group

Last revised: 14th August 1999

Copy of a letter from The Countess Road Residents' Group, Countess Road, Amesbury to local residents.

Dear Householder

Proposed Stonehenge Visitor Centre at Countess East

Our Residents Group has just received a copy of the English Heritage/National Trust document entitled 'The Commercial Opportunity - Stonehenge New Visitor Centre Information Pack'. A full technical appraisal will be carried out and representations made to English Heritage in due course; meanwhile here are just a few questions arising from an initial reading of the document.

1 Projected visitor numbers are said to be 1.3 million per annum in the information pack, yet the accompanying Traffic Assessment document, which appraises the impact of traffic from the development, is based on only 1,0 million visitors. The difference is huge!

Question: Which is the correct figure?

2 The urgently needed fly-over at Countess roundabout, for which Sir Jocelyn Stephens (Chairman of EH) gave our Group the assurance that it was back in the A303 improvement scheme, is merely described in the document as the "preferred solution". Not much assurance here, and no comfort either from Lord Whitty's announcement of 25 June 1999.

Question: Is the fly-over included in the A303 improvement scheme or not; if so for what date?

3 The chosen Private Finance Operator is being asked to spend �750,000 on ''temporary improvements" to Countess roundabout; namely traffic signals. This is not a joke, even though it was seen as such when displayed at the recent English Heritage exhibition at Antrobus House.

Question: If, or rather, when the traffic signals are seen not to cope with the traffic problems, are we then stuck with them in the event that the so called 'preferred solution' does not materialise?

4 The Group has, without success, previously attempted to open for debate, in the local plan process, the subject of the proposed Visitor Centre. We now learn that "...it has been decided (with the District Council) not to pursue the new Visitor Centre complex proposals at the forthcoming Local Plan Inquiry.."

Question: Why are we being denied the opportunity of debating this important subject, and who in the District Council made such a vital decision on our behalf?

5 Details of the 'shuttle buses' contained in the Traffic Assessment indicate that (even for the 1.0 million visitor assumption) the frequency of the bus service will need to be every 2.5 to 3 minutes at peak periods; approximately 20 to 24 buses every hour in each direction.

Question: Has anyone really looked at the impact that this many 60 or 75 seater slow moving vehicles will have on the proposed signals at Countess roundabout?

6 At last, and from their own documents, the absurdity of the English Heritage proposal to site the Visitor Centre at Countess East is being revealed. It is hard to imagine any potential Operator being remotely interested in such a flawed commercial opportunity. Even so we must ensure that this proposal is not inflicted on us through lack of awareness, interest, or resistance on our part.

WAKE UP AMESBURY, IT'S NOT TOO LATE...YET!

If you feel as strongly as we do on the stupidity of siting the Visitor Centre at Countess East with its inherent impact on Countess roundabout, we urge you to write to:

The Town Clerk, Amesbury Town Council, Antrobus House, Amesbury, Wilts.

NOW!