Here's what it said last December and my thanks to Alex Rennie...
Tunnel or bypass? New option to divert traffic away from Stonehenge
Former Mayor of Amesbury Andy Rhind-Tutt says a bypass should be built instead of Stonehenge tunnel to 'unlock Salisbury's potential' Tunnel or bypass? New option to divert traffic away from Stonehenge
Scrap Stonehenge tunnel in favour of bypass, says former mayor
Alex Rennie, Reporter / / News
AN anti-tunnel campaigner and former Mayor of Amesbury has revived calls for the A303 to be re-routed south to include a Salisbury bypass.
The idea for a bypass has been floated by Andy Rhind-Tutt as a way to "unlock Salisbury's potential".
Mr Rhind-Tutt says his proposal differs from a plan which was dismissed by the government 20 years ago after sustained protests from Woodford Valley residents - including the musician Sting.
Currently, Highways England is consulting on a plan for a 2.9km tunnel under the Stonehenge World Heritage Site.
But Mr Rhind-Tutt told a Salisbury & District Chambers at a 90 minute networking lunch the tunnel would do little to ease congestion and raised concerns on where the chalk dug up during construction will be dumped.
He said questions needed to be answered on how the tunnel would be ventilated, waterproofed and fireproofed.
"Achieving the necessary gradients without a cut and cover solution the A303 would have to extend in length much nearer to Blick Mead and be raised on stilts at Countess [Roundabout]," he said.
"This would inevitably bring into question the risk of destruction of some of the world's most important archaeology.
Mr Rhind-Tutt has submitted a plan to Highways England which would see the A303 moved south between Chilmark and Andover creating a dual carriageway. This would allow the World Heritage Site to be turned into a National Park and ease congestion around Salisbury's road network.
Cllr Ian West, division member for Winterbourne Stoke and Shrewton which both suffer from rat running, described Mr Rhind-Tutt as being in "cloud cuckoo land" to attempt to resurrect a form of the scrapped Parker Plan.
"I have been involved for many years and the tunnel is on the table," he said. "To do anything else would take a long time.
"Although I'm not 100 per cent tunnel it gives my residents what they want."
Cllr West said he had also resubmitted his idea for a northern bypass for Winterbourne Stoke from the last consultation in 2004.
Salisbury MP John Glen, who has publicly backed plans for a 2.9km tunnel, said: "Andy has some interesting views which I know Highways England are aware of."
Here's where the story gathered legs this past week..... http://bbc.in/23eIrgb
Within our STAG team, Mr Rhind Tutt has a new name: "Cock Womble" and if you Google that, it will tell you the term Cock Womble is the best insult known to man!!! Where is he coming from with his idea of taking the A303 off at Andover, heading south through the Hampshire countryside, around Salisbury and back up to Tisbury.....some 32 miles. At present, the distance on the A303 between Andover and Winterbourne Stoke is 18.3miles!!! Whilst his idea will probably sort out our priority of reducing rat running through Shrewton, the economy in the West Country will certainly not be helped and will probably fail! It's a very long queue at present past Stonehenge for those heading to the "Highway to the Sun", but will you be prepared for the Causeway - "a road on stilts", because that's what it would have to be, to avoid Cock Womble's road idea tramping across lovely Hampshire into Wiltshire, not forgetting those beautiful Harnham Water Meadows adding a further 14 miles to your journey!
Cock Womble Rhind Tutt was somewhat full of himself to camera on Wednesday.....or one could be forgiven for thinking he was a self opinionated.....!? H
e was so puffed up with his own idea of a Southern By-pass to sort out the A303 and at the same time, Salisbury's economy, and the fact that Highways England lent an ear, you might have thought the whole thing was....."in the bag"!
Actually, they have to review all crack pot or not so crack pot schemes before going for planning permission, all of which slows things up even further......paying C.W. R.T. lip service me thinks???
The idea for a bypass has been floated by Andy Rhind-Tutt as a way to "unlock Salisbury's potential".
Mr Rhind-Tutt says his proposal differs from a plan which was dismissed by the government 20 years ago after sustained protests from Woodford Valley residents - including the musician Sting.
But Mr Rhind-Tutt told a Salisbury & District Chambers at a 90 minute networking lunch the tunnel would do little to ease congestion and raised concerns on where the chalk dug up during construction will be dumped.
He said questions needed to be answered on how the tunnel would be ventilated, waterproofed and fireproofed.
"Achieving the necessary gradients without a cut and cover solution the A303 would have to extend in length much nearer to Blick Mead and be raised on stilts at Countess [Roundabout]," he said.
"This would inevitably bring into question the risk of destruction of some of the world's most important archaeology.
"It is the bigger picture of south Wiltshire that needs highlighting and addressing, not just removing the view to passing public of the Stones."
Cllr Ian West, division member for Winterbourne Stoke and Shrewton which both suffer from rat running, described Mr Rhind-Tutt as being in "cloud cuckoo land" to attempt to resurrect a form of the scrapped Parker Plan.
"I have been involved for many years and the tunnel is on the table," he said. "To do anything else would take a long time.
"Although I'm not 100 per cent tunnel it gives my residents what they want."
Salisbury MP John Glen, who has publicly backed plans for a 2.9km tunnel, said: "Andy has some interesting views which I know Highways England are aware of."
Here's where the story gathered legs this past week..... http://bbc.in/23eIrgb
Within our STAG team, Mr Rhind Tutt has a new name: "Cock Womble" and if you Google that, it will tell you the term Cock Womble is the best insult known to man!!! Where is he coming from with his idea of taking the A303 off at Andover, heading south through the Hampshire countryside, around Salisbury and back up to Tisbury.....some 32 miles. At present, the distance on the A303 between Andover and Winterbourne Stoke is 18.3miles!!! Whilst his idea will probably sort out our priority of reducing rat running through Shrewton, the economy in the West Country will certainly not be helped and will probably fail! It's a very long queue at present past Stonehenge for those heading to the "Highway to the Sun", but will you be prepared for the Causeway - "a road on stilts", because that's what it would have to be, to avoid Cock Womble's road idea tramping across lovely Hampshire into Wiltshire, not forgetting those beautiful Harnham Water Meadows adding a further 14 miles to your journey!
Cock Womble Rhind Tutt was somewhat full of himself to camera on Wednesday.....or one could be forgiven for thinking he was a self opinionated.....!? H
e was so puffed up with his own idea of a Southern By-pass to sort out the A303 and at the same time, Salisbury's economy, and the fact that Highways England lent an ear, you might have thought the whole thing was....."in the bag"! Actually, they have to review all crack pot or not so crack pot schemes before going for planning permission, all of which slows things up even further......paying C.W. R.T. lip service me thinks???
