English Heritage and National Trust welcome news as Stonehenge Tunnel plan announced back on



© English Heritage

The guardians of the Stonehenge heritage landscape are hailing an announcement by the government today as a “truly momentous" decision in the modern history of one of the world's most famous heritage sites.English Heritage and the National Trust have both welcomed the government’s Autumn Statement announcement that it will be investing in a new 2.9 km tunnel to remove the A303 from the Stonehenge landscape.It’s been a long road of false starts and challenges for the road scheme around the world heritage site. Plans for a tunnel were first announced in 2005 before being dropped again due to soaring costs in 2006.A series of government proposals for reducing traffic congestion around Stonehenge were announced, including the repositioning of roads, many of which received criticism by archaeological groups and the National Trust.The new plans have been welcomed by the two organisations who oversee the site.Helen Ghosh, the Director General of the Trust, described the tunnel proposal as “a real opportunity" to tackle "the blight of the road that dominates the landscape of Stonehenge”.“If designed well, putting the A303 into a tunnel of 2.9km will bring the Stonehenge landscape together once more, creating space for nature and improving the site’s tranquillity.“I know there will be some sadness that people will no longer be able to see the stones from the road, but visitors will once again be able to hear the sounds of skylarks singing rather than the constant noise of traffic.Ghosh said the Trust remains committed to finding "alternative ways for even more people to see the Stones on their journey”, adding that the emphasis was now on looking at ways of experiencing and exploring the prehistoric landscape “as our ancestors did".English Heritage Chief Executive Dr Simon Thurley described the plans as a “truly momentous decision” and the “biggest single investment ever by Government in this country’s heritage”.English Heritage opened their new visitor centre at the site in 2013, a move which closed the A344 which runs close to the stones.“We have been campaigning for a tunnel to remove the blight that is the A303 for the past 30 years", added Dr Thurley. “This news is the icing on the cake and vindicates all our hard work.“We have been trying to find a solution for the A303 improvements since 1986, when Stonehenge became a World Heritage Site – recognition that it is one of the best known and most important prehistoric landscapes in the world.“It is vital that any new scheme to put the A303 into a bored tunnel is located in the right place and designed to the best specification.”The project, precise details of which are yet to be confirmed, is one of 84 new road schemes announced today as the government promised £15 billion in spending during the next five years to improve roads, including 1,300 new miles of extra A road and motorway lanes.