Stonehenge Tunnel
Discussion
Just to add to the history of the A303 the following pictures show how the Stones appeared around 1917/18:
The view is looking West from the hill at West Amesbury. The major road going right is the Devizes road with the minor left fork at the bottom of the hill the current A303.
This second picture shows the same scene in the 1930's ;
The major road, once again, is the Devizes road with the road sign in the foreground stating 'Fork left Exeter'.
So our progress to date is to have demolished the buildings (not sure when but post-war) and to have closed off the Devizes road 10 years ago as now the major road was the A303. Yes, the junction was dangerous but it did mean that any local traffic used the Devizes road to join the A303 but instead we all now rat-run through the local villages and join the A303 at the Countess roundabout or beyond if travelling London bound adding to the seasoned long-distance rat-runners who leave at Solstice Park and re-join at the A360 or leap-frog all the single carriageway sections and re-join at the A350 (and vice-versa of course).
The view is looking West from the hill at West Amesbury. The major road going right is the Devizes road with the minor left fork at the bottom of the hill the current A303.
This second picture shows the same scene in the 1930's ;
The major road, once again, is the Devizes road with the road sign in the foreground stating 'Fork left Exeter'.
So our progress to date is to have demolished the buildings (not sure when but post-war) and to have closed off the Devizes road 10 years ago as now the major road was the A303. Yes, the junction was dangerous but it did mean that any local traffic used the Devizes road to join the A303 but instead we all now rat-run through the local villages and join the A303 at the Countess roundabout or beyond if travelling London bound adding to the seasoned long-distance rat-runners who leave at Solstice Park and re-join at the A360 or leap-frog all the single carriageway sections and re-join at the A350 (and vice-versa of course).
Blackpuddin said:
Just trial any kind of fence to see what the effect is, and if it's good then go to a natural solution. Something really stinks about this whole affair. To me it looks like a vanity project for Ministers' mates in industry to make a killing.
If that was the case then I assure you a decision would have been made and the job done 30 years ago. It's all these interest groups that want to preserve this ancient heritage. Well for us who live here we can never move on so there won't be any future heritage! The whole A303 should have been dualled in the 1980's about the time the Cholderton to Amesbury by-pass was completed.
SydneyBridge said:
As far as i can see, a tunnel is the only viable (but expensive) solution, to remove the road altogether
Well with a PH name like yours I suppose we should listen 
but why do you discount the screen idea? Have you been past Stonehenge? Genuine question, not trying to be snarky. Blackpuddin said:
Well with a PH name like yours I suppose we should listen but why do you discount the screen idea? Have you been past Stonehenge? Genuine question, not trying to be snarky.
Yes, know the area well. Screen is a good idea but only part of the problem. The main issue is two lanes going down to one, the same as in other places on the 303, but worse at Stonehenge. Sure a screen/trees would be moaned at. but why do you discount the screen idea? Have you been past Stonehenge? Genuine question, not trying to be snarky. anonymous said:
[redacted]
This is the bit I really don't get. Their main motivation is clearly to maximise tourist revenue by hiding the stones and making people pay to see them. Screening will achieve this, it will substantially reduce the bottlenecking caused by rubbernecking, and will be 'in keeping' with the site. Hell, you could even erect a bogus Stonehenge on the roadside to block the view. I've lived within 10 miles of Stonehenge for the last 30 years. Anyone local, including me, always comes up with the same answer; put up a 3m fence and the problem will be 80% cured for a fraction of the cost on a tunnel. Yes Bank holiday weekends will not be cured but that probably is just excessive volume of traffic that without spending billions you can't cure, or just move the problem to the next area.
Travelling eastbound from longhenge roundabout towards amesbury you can clearly see the effect of rubberneckers. Remember this direction you are on a single carriageway approaching the dual, so no pinch point. Without fail almost every day it clears up the moment Stonehenge is no long visible.
As with all traffic management, it always seems to be guided by people who are not local to the area. I'm sure it's not, but it always feels like it. Some traffic light management in Salisbury is bizarre!
I think one flaw of the fence idea is that the natural geography of the area will mean a high fence is required to block the view, particularly the point westbound as dual carriageway comes to an end.
The tunnel just seems like a sledgehammer to smash a walnut kind of thing to me. On top of the fact the country has no money to do it!
Travelling eastbound from longhenge roundabout towards amesbury you can clearly see the effect of rubberneckers. Remember this direction you are on a single carriageway approaching the dual, so no pinch point. Without fail almost every day it clears up the moment Stonehenge is no long visible.
As with all traffic management, it always seems to be guided by people who are not local to the area. I'm sure it's not, but it always feels like it. Some traffic light management in Salisbury is bizarre!
I think one flaw of the fence idea is that the natural geography of the area will mean a high fence is required to block the view, particularly the point westbound as dual carriageway comes to an end.
The tunnel just seems like a sledgehammer to smash a walnut kind of thing to me. On top of the fact the country has no money to do it!
Judging by the rest of the fecking road I had to endure yesterday Stonehenge is only part of the problem, yes some people slow down a bit but if you take a 3 lanes worth of traffic into 2 lanes and repeatedly into 1 lane you’re pretty much f
ked either way
Also people drove like dheads
ked either way Also people drove like d
headsRef the byways, interestingly you could always tell a lockdown was coming as the byways would be closed a few days before. I think they do add a small portion of the problem as people try parking in them to get a photo. The inevitable issue of cars rejoining the a303 from a snails pace whilst everyone is looking at Stonehenge is a problem. As someone who uses the byways occasionally on motorbike it would be a shame for them to close permanently. They provide an excellent route from the south of the 303 onto the plains.
Another simple problem to cure is people stopping on the side of the road to take photos. I suspect a lot of people (who aren't interested in driving!) don't understand what a no stopping sign actually is! Just put up simple worded signs in addition, as they would be helpful for international visitors if kept simple.
Google maps or any live traffic navigation device is definitely causing issues (for locals! Ha) with ratruns becoming common knowledge now.
I'm definitely coming across all nimby here. Ha. Whoops.
Another simple problem to cure is people stopping on the side of the road to take photos. I suspect a lot of people (who aren't interested in driving!) don't understand what a no stopping sign actually is! Just put up simple worded signs in addition, as they would be helpful for international visitors if kept simple.
Google maps or any live traffic navigation device is definitely causing issues (for locals! Ha) with ratruns becoming common knowledge now.
I'm definitely coming across all nimby here. Ha. Whoops.
WrekinCrew said:
Tunnel approved ... until it's cancelled again.
It feels that There are far fewer Major hold ups around the stones these days. It’s still a problem area, but I’m sure the number of vehicles has fallen these days. They don’t need a 3 billion quid tunnel. They need to again improve what is already there. The recent improvements have helped, the closing of that junction has stopped most of the terrible accidents. This is the biggest vanity project yet, utter bullst and a complete waste of money. Why bother going through the objection process when we known fine well that the tt in Westminster will just ignore it?
We're threatened with pylons and wind turbines marching through a beautiful bit of Wales and we're going through the same process, but what's the point? It's all for show.
t and a complete waste of money. Why bother going through the objection process when we known fine well that the tt in Westminster will just ignore it? We're threatened with pylons and wind turbines marching through a beautiful bit of Wales and we're going through the same process, but what's the point? It's all for show.
Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 14th July 18:08
I was just thinking today that we need to get better at tunneling in this country. We were world leaders with the Chunnel, but since then we seem to have gone weak. Hinckley C seems to be the last major project, and now HS2. Wales could use tunnels to increase rail connectivity and journey times.
Blackpuddin said:
This is the biggest vanity project yet, utter bullst and a complete waste of money. Why bother going through the objection process when we known fine well that the tt in Westminster will just ignore it?
We're threatened with pylons and wind turbines marching through a beautiful bit of Wales and we're going through the same process, but what's the point? It's all for show.
How do you weigh this "vanity project" against the M4 relief road?t and a complete waste of money. Why bother going through the objection process when we known fine well that the tt in Westminster will just ignore it? We're threatened with pylons and wind turbines marching through a beautiful bit of Wales and we're going through the same process, but what's the point? It's all for show.
Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 14th July 18:08
Blackpuddin said:
This is the biggest vanity project yet, utter bullst and a complete waste of money. Why bother going through the objection process when we known fine well that the tt in Westminster will just ignore it?
We're threatened with pylons and wind turbines marching through a beautiful bit of Wales and we're going through the same process, but what's the point? It's all for show.
I suspect the biggest vanity project is (still) HS2....t and a complete waste of money. Why bother going through the objection process when we known fine well that the tt in Westminster will just ignore it? We're threatened with pylons and wind turbines marching through a beautiful bit of Wales and we're going through the same process, but what's the point? It's all for show.
Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 14th July 18:08
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