The Government has given the green light for the £1.7billion upgrade of the A303 past Stonehenge – which is being seen as a huge boost for South West businesses.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has granted a Development Consent Order for work to start on the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down (Stonehenge) scheme, which includes a two-mile tunnel underneath the World Heritage Site.
The “transformational and sensitive” upgrade will tackle congestion on the notorious, traffic-clogged single carriageway section of the A303 route, and the announcement is a significant step towards unlocking economic growth and improving journey times and reliability between the M3 and M5.
The move is seen as having huge benefits for business in the region, including improving access for visitors and thus supporting the South West’s key hospitality and tourism economy.
Deborah Fraser, CBI South West director, said: “Upgrades to the A303 have long been viewed as a regional transport priority by CBI members in the South West, and this decision will be a boost for businesses across the region.
“Improving physical and digital connectivity is vital as the UK seeks to build back better from Covid-19. As well as improving access to the region’s world-renowned tourist sites, enhancing the A303 will help catalyse investment in many sectors across the South West, driving prosperity in the years ahead.”
Highways England chief executive Jim O’Sullivan said: “The A303 Stonehenge tunnel project is part of the biggest investment in our road network for a generation and we welcome the Secretary of State’s decision. This transformational scheme will return the Stonehenge landscape towards its original setting and will improve journey times for everyone who travels to and from the South West.”
The £1.7billion A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down upgrade includes:
eight miles of free-flowing, high-quality dual carriageway
a tunnel at least two miles long underneath the World Heritage Site, closely following the existing A303 route, but a further 50 metres away from the Stonehenge monument, avoiding important archaeological sites, and avoiding intrusion on the view of the setting sun from the stones during the winter solstice
a new bypass to the north of the village of Winterbourne Stoke
junctions with the A345 and A360 either side of the World Heritage Site.
Derek Parody, Highways England project director for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, added: “It is a scheme objective to conserve and enhance the World Heritage Site and this is being achieved through close collaborative working with heritage groups, including English Heritage, National Trust, Historic England and the independent A303 Scientific Committee.
“The scheme will not only sustain the Outstanding Universal Value of the WHS, it will also have a beneficial effect, and extensive archaeological studies and assessments have been undertaken to provide evidence of the benefits that the scheme will deliver for the World Heritage Site.
“The decision represents a major milestone, not only for us as the project team but for all those who have supported this project over a number of years; our stakeholders, the heritage bodies, local and regional businesses and indeed local communities.”
The Transport Secretary’s announcement follows a planning hearing in 2019, and there is now a six-week period in which the decisions may be challenged in the High Court.
In the meantime, Highways England has been progressing the procurement process for the main works contract for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, and is in talks with three bidders before they submit their final tenders. The preferred bidder is expected to be announced in 2021.
The company, responsible for the country’s major A roads and motorways, has also recently awarded contracts for archaeological mitigation work (Wessex Archaeology Ltd) and preliminary works (Osborne Ltd) ahead of main construction.
Fieldwork is due to start in late spring next year, with the main five-year construction phase expected to start by 2023.
Cllr Bridget Wayman, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said the scheme will boost the South West economy, “unlocking jobs and investment throughout the entire region”.
David Tucker, Federation of Small Businesses transport chair, said: “Upgrading the single carriageway sections of the A303 is key to supporting the South West economy, particularly as the only alternative route via the M4 and M5 into the region is already heavily used. Investment in improving key links on the country’s A roads is a positive and vital way to support our local regional economies.”
