Wiltshire Council leader frustrated at A303 tunnel cancellation
The project had been supported by the authority
Wiltshire Council leader Richard Clewer has told Greatest Hits Radio the cancellation of the A303 Stonehenge Tunnel project will block economic growth in the UK.
The scheme was scrapped on Monday (29/7) by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as the Government attempts to fill a £22bn black hole in public finances.
Cllr Clewer said he's 'extremely disappointed' by the decision to bin a project that is 'ready to start'.
"For a government that came in putting so much emphasis on the need for economic growth for the first actions they're taking being to scrap an infrastructure project that is literally ready to start," he said.
Cllr Clewer continued, saying: "It would unlock significant economic growth all the way along the rest of the A 303 all the way down into the southwest of England. I think it's an extremely short sighted decision."
The Council Leader told us the Chancellor had been talking 'economic sense' in the lead up to the election, but now says she has 'lost the plot' with her announcements on Monday.
"We're seeing knee jerk reactions," he said, adding: "Hopefully someone in the Treasury will sit down and say look if you want growth this is exactly the sort of project that will start delivering it straight away rather than coming up with ideas and schemes that will take years to get through planning and then years to develop.
"This one is ready to go," he said.
Cllr Clewer said it's hurt businesses all along the A303 that could have invested with the anticipation of better road networks increasing travel to the South West.
He also said the road has a 'really serious traffic problem'.
"It regularly makes the UK's top five list of traffic issues. When you look at the Christmas getaway, the Easter Getaway and the summer getaway, the A303 is always there in the top five, so it definitely needs fixing," he said.
But with few viable alternatives, those issues will persist during the busiest times of the year.