Despite a United Nations agency’s refusal to intervene, the incoming British government has canceled the controversial plan to build a highway tunnel under Stonehenge.
Addressing a session of the House of Commons on Monday, British Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves announced the government’s intention to axe the traffic project. Had it been completed, the works would have seen a tunnel run under a portion of the ancient ruins’ site. Advocates claimed the project would improve traffic flow in the area and restore tranquility to Stonehenge by eliminating the sight and sound of cars. Highway A303, known for its frequent congestion, has long been a bottleneck, causing significant delays and frustration for travelers.
But critics pushed back, saying the highway scheme had been pushed through without proper public consultation and would have threatened the site’s geology. Stonehenge, whose hugeness shouldn’t be understated, dates back to 3700 BCE and remains an important archeological site, with new discoveries continuing to this day. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site in 1986 due to its cultural and historical significance.
Reeves cited concerns over the highway’s cost in her announcement, saying it was among a number of “unaffordable” transport projects. The Labour Party defeated the Conservatives in the July 4 election.
John Adams, chair of the conservation group Stonehenge Alliance, which battled the highway plans for years, hailed the decision as “a vindication of all the work of so many people over so many years from supporters around the world,” as he said in a statement. The Conservatives approved the idea in 2017, but the idea for a tunnel dates back to 1989, according to Dan Hicks, a professor of archaeology at the University of Oxford.
The Stonehenge Alliance claims that the road scheme would offer minimal, if any, economic benefits. At the same time, the group maintains that finding alternative solutions to improve traffic in the area should remain a priority.
Stonehenge Tunnel Project now OFFICIALLY SCRAPPED! The decision has just been made by Chancellor @RachelReevesMP as part of her bid to fill a £22 billion ‘black hole’ in public finances she claims the @Conservatives have left. pic.twitter.com/nDJBL7tr72
— Stonehenge U.K (@ST0NEHENGE) July 29, 2024
The plan to modify highway A303 faced many barriers over the years, including numerous judicial challenges. Most recently, conservationists had asked UNESCO to add Stonehenge to its List of World Heritage in Danger, a request the U.N. agency denied.
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