WILTSHIRE Council has written to the government demanding urgent answers over the future of the A303 corridor following the cancellation of the long-debated Stonehenge tunnel scheme.
Council leaders said communities across Wiltshire have been left facing worsening congestion, rat-running and uncertainty with no clear plan for what happens next.
In a letter to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander, council leader Cllr Ian Thorn called for clarity on how ministers intend to tackle long-standing problems on one of the South West’s most important roads.
The move follows a cross-party motion approved by councillors last month calling for a “funded alternative” to improve the A303 after the tunnel project was scrapped.
The council warned that congestion on the key route continues to push traffic through nearby villages, affecting safety, air quality and residents’ quality of life.
In the letter, Cllr Thorn said the A303 remains “vital to the connectivity of the South West and to the economic wellbeing of Wiltshire’s communities and businesses”.
He added: “Since the cancellation of the tunnel scheme, Wiltshire has been left with the ongoing legacy of these traffic problems, without a clear plan for how they will now be resolved.”
Wiltshire Council is now asking the government to explain what short-term support will be offered to communities hit by congestion, what the next steps are for improving the road, and whether ministers will commit to a funded replacement plan.
The authority also wants a timeline for consultation and decision-making.
Cllr Thorn said the council was ready to work with government, National Highways and local stakeholders to find a solution that balances transport needs with the area’s environmental and heritage sensitivities.
The future of the A303 around Stonehenge has remained uncertain since ministers confirmed the tunnel scheme would not proceed earlier this year.
I’m guessing that the more people that state that a barrier would solve the problem of rubberneckers (which is the proven reason for the bottleneck), then the less likely this cost effective solution is likely to be implemented by the “not invented here” arrogant politicians and highways management???
Why should we say anything at all? The last time it cost the taxpayer millions paying so called experts in consultation fees, power cables were installed under Devizes Road, exploratory digs were carried out, legal documentation was drafted and circulated at a embarrassing cost and where have we got? Absolutely nowhere! Scandalous-short sighted- selfish acted. Those who pushed this along should disappear up their own backsides frankly! It was not your money to spend. Just avoid driving past it and the problem is solved.