Media coverage - Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site

NOTE: Critical commentary on Highways England's Fact-checker

NOTE: Image of Chilterns tunnel start

NOTE: Controversy continued on social media for several weeks

NOTE: “Mrs Justice Lang ruled against Transport Action Network in today’s hearing. The campaign group called the decision “disappointing” saying that “we were not successful in expanding our grounds but we live to fight another day and our main challenge remains on track.”

NOTE: National Trust YouTube film shows view from King Barrow Ridge of A303 with fast-moving traffic over 24 hrs

NOTE: Thread of tweets by Dan Hicks regarding National Trust Staff cuts

NOTE: Mentions A303 Stonehenge even though no decision has been announced by the Transport Secretary

NOTE: "The £2bn A303 Stonehenge tunnel is another project which failed the usual Treasury value-for-money test."

NOTE: “People in the UK need to shift from cars to public transport to address the challenge of climate change,” announced Grant Shapps today. "We will use our cars less and be able to rely on a convenient, cost-effective and coherent public transport network." Consultation Document (16 March–22 May): Future of Transport Regulatory Review Call for Evidence: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/886686/future-of-transport-regulatory-review-call-for-evidence.pdf

#Stonehenge – An Urgent Request! – The Heritage Journal publishes our appeal for petition signatures
Bristol Airport expansion plan rejected by councillors – BBC
Stonehenge tunnel petition handed into government – BBC
Stonehenge Alliance hands petition in to No 10 – BBC TV South report published on Facebook
Stopping the Stonehenge Tunnel: Petitioning the Prime Minister – SA video, YouTube
Petition calls to abandon Stonehenge road revamp – IMAGE OF Western Daily Press item
Stonehenge tunnel opponents in last-ditch attempt to spike scheme – New Civil Engineer
The Stonehenge Tunnel Scandal Continues – Article in Rescue News Issue 127
Wiltshire Climate Alliance protestors marched on County Hall in Trowbridge demanding more action on the climate emergency – Salisbury Journal
Stonehenge Tunnel scheme ‘scrapped'” – Salisbury Journal headline (27 February print version)
Climate campaigners win Heathrow expansion case – BBC

NOTE: For judgement see: [to come]

NOTE: Concerning cost overruns, poor value for money, international commitments and climate change.  Copied to MPS, UNESCO and others.

Up dates for this year are work in progress

PQs asked by Vicky Foxcroft MP:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the potential for damage to the Stonehenge World Heritage Site of improving the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down.

Ans. George Freeman Minister for Transport:

- Highways England‘s proposals for improving the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down have been fully assessed. This includes extensive archaeological studies and assessments to provide evidence of the benefits that the scheme would deliver for the World Heritage Site.
- The scheme proposals are currently being examined by a panel of independent planning inspectors. They will report their findings and recommendations to the Secretary of State before he makes a decision on whether to grant development consent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated cost is of the A303Stonehenge improvement scheme.

Ans. The estimated cost is £1.7 billion (or £1.92 billion including VAT).

People’s Landscapes Launch – National Trust. S&A WHS not mentioned.
Clearance of ancient woodlands for HS2 to be halted until review – The Guardian
Stonehenge Tunnel: PM visits Wiltshire, sets own pants on fire – The Heritage Journal
- “After Brexit, when we’re “free of cumbersome procurement processes”, the Stonehenge tunnel may well prove to be cheaper to build!”

Work in progress

Work in progress

UNESCO’s Stonehenge views rebuffed – Local Transport Today (subscription & blog)

Letter to The Times – Peter Saunders, Salisbury Museum
National Trust criticised over Stonehenge tunnel – The Times
Letter from Kate Fielden, The Times – 15 September

A tale of two tunnels – The Heritage Journal
Can ICOMOS be got at? – The Heritage Journal

Stonehenge tunnel survey reveals new sites, and mysteries – The Guardian
Stonehenge without traffic – ITV News
22 December Lush Soapbox item published. on Lush website.

NOTE: Kate Fielden incorrectly quoted.  A campaign for a longer road tunnel past Stonehenge is being supported by a 17,500-signature petition.  A £2bn proposal, which includes a 1.8-mile (2.9 km) tunnel, was announced by the government in December, aimed at easing congestion on the nearby A303.However, the Stonehenge Alliance said anything shorter than a 2.7-mile (4.3 km) tunnel would cause "irreparable damage to the landscape". Campaigner Kate Fielden said the proposed facility was "far too short".She said the World Heritage site covered "a huge archaeological landscape" and there was an "obligation" for the government to protect it. English Heritage and the National Trust have also given their support to the option of "the longest tunnel possible". The Department for Transport (DfT) said a public consultation into its plans could take place in 2017.Transport Minister Andrew Jones described it as "an ambitious scheme" and said: "We need to do much more work consulting with local groups and local councils to get this right. "The Stonehenge Alliance said it planned to present the petition to Transport Secretary Patrick Loughlin and Culture Minister Ed Vaizey.

Media coverage prior to 2014 has been archived and can be found on the original campaign website Save Stonehenge .

Obituary: Stonehenge Alliance co-founder – Lord Kennet, Wayland Young – The Guardian

The Stonehenge Saga (from the campaign beginnings up to 2000) – by Wayland and Liz Young, Lord and Lady Kennet

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