BYWAYS surrounding Stonehenge will reopen for revellers in time for the autumn equinox, Wiltshire Council has confirmed.

The byways offer people the chance to get close to the stones without paying to park at the English Heritage-owned car park.

The routes were closed to vehicles for around nine months while the council carried out resurfacing works.

Wiltshire Council said it was considering its options about further possible closures following previous incidents of people setting up long-term encampments at the site, sparking fears that they would remain closed for the autumn equinox next Monday (September 22).

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READ MORE: Fears Stonehenge byways could be closed for this year’s autumn equinox

But the council has now confirmed they will reopen – but added that further works will required to the south of the A303 but no date has yet been given.

The equinox, which marks the start of autumn, sees the Earth’s axis is tilted neither towards nor away from the Sun, making day and night nearly equal in length.

Long-time campaigner for free access to Stonehenge told your Salisbury & Avon Gazette that closing the droves to vehicles would “sanitise” the area and give English Heritage a monopoly on parking.

“It is quite simply part of the authorities’ predisposition to control and to sanitise,” he said.