WILTSHIRE councillors have united to demand answers over the future of the A303 near Stonehenge after the collapse of the long-planned tunnel scheme.
At a meeting this afternoon, councillors unanimously (apart from one abstention) backed a motion calling on Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander to urgently explain what comes next.
The motion was proposed by Amesbury member Cllr Dr Monica Devendran and Cllr Kevin Daley for Till Valley.
Amesbury member Cllr Dr Monica Devendran.
It focuses on the growing frustration over traffic congestion around Amesbury and Stonehenge, and the knock-on effect for nearby villages.
For many residents, the issue is not just long queues.
Congestion on the A303 has become a daily problem, with drivers increasingly cutting through villages to avoid delays.
Businesses, commuters and residents have all felt the impact.
The motion asks Wiltshire Council to call on the government to provide short-term help for communities hit by congestion and rat-running.
It also calls for a clear, funded alternative to the tunnel and a timeline for consultation and delivery.
Council leader Cllr Ian Thorn backed the motion and said the scale of traffic was overwhelming local communities.
He said areas around Amesbury were not built to cope with today’s traffic levels and described the amount of taxpayers’ money already spent on the cancelled tunnel as “extraordinary”.
“I’m going to be writing lots of letters,” he said. “I want to be clear that an enormous amount of work is being undertaken at the moment to try and argue our case.”
He also said he was prepared to meet Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander in Swindon.
“We need a solution for local residents and the businesses. I want to be clear that I completely support your motion,” he added.
The motion received support from all political groups.
Conservative leader Cllr Richard Clewer said it was important to keep fighting for a solution.
Reform UK leader Cllr Ed Rimmer said he “really welcomed” the motion, adding: “We’ve spent £179 million of taxpayers money and got nowhere.”
Labour leader Cllr Ricky Rogers also backed the proposal, saying Wiltshire needed a way to properly connect the two stretches of dual carriageway.
For residents around Amesbury, the message from councillors was simple: the debate cannot drag on any longer.
Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Devendran told the Gazette that she was “really pleased” with the support from the council.
“I look forward to seeing progress in the next six month” she said. “I really care about my residents.”
The cancellation of this project over costs was presumably to provide funding for HS2 which, as was announced today, is over budget and behind schedule. I live in Shrewton so suffer the additional traffic avoiding delays. Also heading to anywhere south of the A303 becomes problematic with the Longbarrow Roundabout often at a standstill with drivers ignoring the “Keep Clear” road markings.
It was a ridiculous decision to cancel the project. Switching from a tunnel to a less costly cutting would have been sensible. You can’t but think that the decision was solely politically motivated, taken by a government which by its numerous shambolic decisions has lost the total respect of the country.
This ludicrous fiasco has dragged-on since the 60s – in part because no UK government wants to look more than 5 years ahead, as our damaging FPTP electoral system discourages cobsensus, common sense, or compromise!
Plant a hedge
Has this been considered before. If so, what might have been the successful arguments against it
These delays effect communities further west as well, so more councils should be supporting the full dueling of the A303 and A358
I believe something needs to be done now, i travel this route alot for work. Often drivers try to force themselves through as I found out today, further along the a303 at the a36 junction this driver did the most dangerous move I have ever seen. That being said, but a high fence along the road by stonehenge then they won’t need tosliw down to take photos