STAG response to Stonehenge Alliance - John Adams OBE

 

JUDGEMENT PUBLISHED https://stonehengealliance.org.uk/     Message for supporters and donors of Stonehenge Alliance  from John Adams, OBE, Acting Chairman, Stonehenge Alliance written on 30 July 2021   "We were delighted to hear today that Save Stonehenge WHS’s legal challenge was successful and the Development Consent Order for the A303 Stonehenge scheme has been quashed. "The judge found that the Transport Secretary did not have all of the evidence needed lawfully to carry out the ‘heritage’ balancing exercise required by planning policy; and that he had unlawfully left out of account consideration of a less damaging alternative to the scheme, such as a longer tunnel. "Our warmest congratulations and heartfelt thanks go to all of our supporters without whom the Stonehenge Alliance could not have campaigned so effectively and SSWHS could not have made its legal challenge.  "Despite today’s fantastic victory, the battle may not be over. The Secretary of State may appeal against the judgement or, possibly, amend the scheme. Nevertheless, we will fight on for our World Heritage Site, if necessary, and hope you are prepared to stand by us!"

As you see, I've written to the PM with a copy to Grant Shapps MP and John Glen MP 

From: Janice Hassett
Sent: 01 August 2021 12:18
To: membership@conservatives.com; GLEN, John; shappsg@parliament.uk

Subject: RE: Levelling Up...viz. High Court Decision for Stonehenge WHS

Dear Prime Minister,

With reference to the High Court decision on Friday regarding the World Heritage Site in Wiltshire, I should like if I may, to ask you to read my response to one Mr John Adams OBE acting Chairman of Stonehenge Alliance :

“Dear Mr John Adams OBE

This is of course, not to congratulate you on the result in the High Court yesterday but more to explain the further stress and upheaval you have put to the residents of the village of Shrewton which lies just outside and to the west of  the WHS.   Your group have just put the final nail in our coffin!!!.    We already suffer greatly from RAT RUN traffic and this is increasing by the hour as more people take to holidaying in the UK/West Country making our village arguably, the most unsafe place in the West Country.   The RAT RUN is explained in my blog and I have been campaigning to have the A303 “fixed” at the Stonehenge section for more than 7 years and the majority of your front line know me for it…  https://staga303.blogspot.com

I see in this post that you thank the 213,385 “supporters” who put up the money for this to be taken to court, but it’s such a pity you have relied on money from people all around the world who actually don’t even know where Stonehenge is or, for that matter, the World Heritage Site……people who have never been here, sat in the queue on the A303 and have never experienced what we experience every day in our village year round, and becomes worse during the summer months.   You should know that our SIDs registered over 169,000 vehicles during August of 2019 using London Road…..just one of the 4 entrances to our village which is just 6 metres wide in places with no pavements.  The majority of this traffic ends up in our narrow High Street again with no pavements.  During the festive period of that same year 20^th December 2019 to 5^th January 2020, 55,593 vehicles accessed that same road and these figures have increased immeasurably since lockdown was lifted! 

I’m telling you all this because you seem to be on a roll of “back patting” while we suffer the consequences of your actions at other people’s expense and according to the last paragraph in your “congratulatory statement” you will return to these same people for yet more of their hard earned cash……

"Despite today’s fantastic victory, the battle may not be over. The Secretary of State may appeal against the judgement or, possibly, amend the scheme. Nevertheless, we will fight on for our World Heritage Site, if necessary, and hope you are prepared to stand by us!"

Whilst I appreciate that the World Heritage Site should be respected, have you not noticed the fact that the A303 – main London to Penzance road already runs right through the length of the WHS and needs to be removed…..see this blog in June…. it’s got your name on it: https://staga303.blogspot.com/2021/06/stop-this-road-going-through-siteit.html    But then you probably have never been here to see that fact.   You should pay us a visit here to the village one day…..your eyes may just be opened!!!  

In conclusion, you probably don’t give a damn about our predicament here, and please don’t insult me by saying “we must get people out of their cars” and “take the train”.    How, I pray are transport companies to deal with getting goods down to the west country if nothing is done to fix the A303 and I note you have never said you will assist financially toward a “longer tunnel” which you seem to favour.

 And to conclude to the PM......As I see it Mr Johnson, Mr Adams and his crew fail to understand that the WHS does not manage itself and there are people who live and work the land, living in our area/village!   We as residents of Salisbury Plain don’t see why we should “sell up and move on” which is in the minds of some of our friends who have lived here as I have, for many years – in my case, 30 to be precise and have our properties reduced in value in the process…..after all, we didn’t sign up for this when we decided to live here all those years ago.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Best wishes

Janice Hassett for the village of Shrewton

STAG: Stonehenge Traffic Action Group”

etc