Stonehenge Tunnel

Author
Discussion

Pebbles167

3,908 posts

162 months

Monday 29th July 2024
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I'm sure it's been asked/answered, but would a fat hedgerow with some trees not work?

Costlier than the fence cheaper than the tunnel. Benefit of blocking view, without ruining the natural aesthetic or costing the country billions.

No idea what this would cost, I was frankly amazed at the supposed cost of the tunnel.

SydneyBridge

9,633 posts

168 months

Monday 29th July 2024
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The problem is when the two lanes go down to one at both ends, desperately needs dual carriagway some how

WrekinCrew

4,961 posts

160 months

Monday 29th July 2024
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"The biggest majority of the collisions occurred happened at the Longbarrow Roundabout".*

- and you can't see Stonehenge from the roundabout - see Streetview.

  • (Yes I know the English is mangled)

Zetec-S

6,347 posts

103 months

Monday 29th July 2024
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SydneyBridge said:
The problem is when the two lanes go down to one at both ends, desperately needs dual carriagway some how
Yep. Screening off Stonehenge with fencing/trees and extending the dual carriageway would only push the problem down the road. The plans weren’t just for a tunnel but also a bypass round Winterbourne Stoke linking to the dual carriageway to the west.

Saleen836

11,626 posts

219 months

Monday 29th July 2024
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Sorting out Longbarrow roundabout will make a huge difference

the tribester

2,637 posts

96 months

Tuesday 30th July 2024
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So the Government have scrapped the project.

Blackpuddin

17,667 posts

215 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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The decision to chop it was ultimately driven by financial expediency but it should have been binned long ago on simple common sense grounds. The most egregious vanity/jobs for the boys project I can remember in my 70 years.

Zetec-S

6,347 posts

103 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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I understand (and agree with) the financial reasons, but not sure I agree with the common sense argument? May I ask why you think that way?

Blackpuddin

17,667 posts

215 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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500 ton press to crack a walnut.

Zetec-S

6,347 posts

103 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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A fence/screen won't fix the traffic issues. The bottleneck is where the A303 merges into 1 lane at the top of the hill heading west, and then at Longbarrow Roundabout / Winterbourne Stoke.

Blackpuddin

17,667 posts

215 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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Those issues don't need £1.7 billion or anything like it throwing at them. And that was the estimate for the work which as we all know would have overrun horribly.

gareth h

3,839 posts

240 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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Zetec-S said:
A fence/screen won't fix the traffic issues. The bottleneck is where the A303 merges into 1 lane at the top of the hill heading west, and then at Longbarrow Roundabout / Winterbourne Stoke.
It needs a dual carriageway and screening, not a tunnel, which to me seemed like a vanity project

Zetec-S

6,347 posts

103 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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So basically along the lines of the proposal, but screening where the tunnel is instead:


CloudStuff

3,911 posts

114 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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Zetec-S said:
So basically along the lines of the proposal, but screening where the tunnel is instead:

Billions of pounds saved, when a few trips to B&Q will do the trick. I like it!

gareth h

3,839 posts

240 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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Zetec-S said:
So basically along the lines of the proposal, but screening where the tunnel is instead:

Yep, that’s it, I used to have offices at Solstice Park, and was tempted to sell maps of the Amesbury / Larkhill / Shrewton rat run to drivers queuing back up the hill from Countess roundabout.

SydneyBridge

9,633 posts

168 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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When the traffic is back to Solstice park it is definately back route time....

The Don of Croy

6,143 posts

169 months

Wednesday 31st July 2024
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I always thought (when living in Somerset) that what they really need to do is isolate Stonehenge.

Remove all roads within a 1km perimeter.

But, at the same time, build alternatives to allow free flow of through traffic, visitors, druids, etc., perhaps using that opportunity to sort out the nightmare that is the Salisbury road system.

Stonehenge can be developed as the unique 'ancient' landscape, visitors can immerse themselves in it, all the surrounding barrows / tumuli / other ancient bits can also be preserved, and the nation can cash in massively from tourist dollars.

Next; Avebury.

I'm not charging for this...although it is interesting to note that the most recent contract for the tunnel project (>£2 billion) was offered to a consortium of four foreign civil engineering companies. So that'll help our (woeful) balance of payments deficit.