Stonehenge tunnel campaigners handing petition to UNESCO
They're concerned the A303 project could affect the area's World Heritage Site status
Last updated 5th Sep 2023
Campaigners against plans to build a two-mile road tunnel on the A303 near Stonehenge are heading to Paris today (Tuesday 5th September).
A 225,000 signature petition will be delivered to UNESCO, ahead of next week's World Heritage Committee meeting.
It's after the government approved plans to make changes to the busy road past the Stonehenge monument - two years after a previous application was quashed by the High Court.
The Stonehenge Alliance and the Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS) groups will be handing over the petition later.
They've said they're 'keen to understand UNESCO’s reaction to the UK Government’s approval of the road scheme'
The body, which works to protect and promote important sites around the globe, has previously warned Stonehenge could be stripped of its World Heritage Site status, if the tunnel scheme goes ahead unaltered.
John Adams, chair of the Stonehenge Alliance and one of the 3 directors of SSWHS, said:
“We want UNESCO to appreciate that its opposition to this highly damaging road scheme through Stonehenge World Heritage Site is strongly supported by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. We urge it to remain strong in the face of the UK Government’s indifference to this iconic British heritage site.”
Chris Todd, director of Transport Action Network (TAN), a member of the Stonehenge Alliance and a director of SSSWHS said:
“Stonehenge could lose its World Heritage Site status if this road scheme goes ahead unaltered. This would be an international embarrassment for the UK. Only three World Heritage Sites have ever been delisted since the signing of the World Heritage Convention in 1972. The most recent was Liverpool in 2021, which also happened under this Government’s watch. To lose one WHS is bad enough, but to lose two would show a failure of leadership and responsibility for both humanity and future generations.”
National Highways response
David Bullock, National Highways’ Project Manager for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, said:
“We remain confident this scheme is the best solution for tackling a long-standing traffic bottleneck, improving journeys, bringing much needed relief to local communities and boosting the economy in the south-west. Ultimately, by removing the existing road we will return the Stonehenge landscape to something like its original setting.
“It is very much a scheme objective to conserve and enhance the World Heritage Site and this is being achieved through close collaborative working with heritage groups, the independent A303 Scientific Committee, and our archaeology contractors, who have an extensive track record of work in connection with the Stonehenge landscape.
“We have taken a lot of care to get to this point, and we will continue to work with the Heritage Monitoring Advisory Group and experts within the Scientific Committee to ensure the scheme is delivered with heritage and the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site at the heart of every decision made.”
Speaking when the plans were given the go ahead, Cllr Caroline Thomas, Wiltshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, welcomed the decision:
“This huge infrastructure project represents a significant investment in Wiltshire that will boost the economy of both our county and the wider region, unlocking jobs and investment.
“Along with the construction, there will also be comprehensive programme of archaeological mitigation, which will enhance our understanding of the World Heritage Site.
“We can now look forward to construction starting and unlocking all the benefits the scheme will bring both to Wiltshire communities and the wider south-west region.”