Did anyone else see this 'cos....

I just saw it today, having been away in Scotland when it came out on 19th September.

           https://www.dannykruger.org.uk/news/update-stonehenge-tunnel-19-september-2023 

"Yesterday I met local councillors representing the communities around Stonehenge to talk about the recent decision to go ahead with the tunnel on the A303. I was recently nominated as the Conservative candidate for the new East Wiltshire constituency, which includes Stonehenge and Amesbury. I am therefore keen to listen to all sides in this debate. Today, UNESCO has, during its meeting in Saudi Arabia, urged the Government to make amendments to the current tunnel plan, suggesting that the World Heritage Site (WHS) is at risk of being placed on the danger list if changes are not made. They would prefer an alternative route around the site or a longer tunnel that returns to the surface further to the west. A decision on this may come in February, next year.

For many local people the current congestion is a twice-daily blight on their lives. The congestion on and around the A303 turns narrow country lanes into super charged rat runs, just at the time when local residents are trying to commute and take their children to school. Their villages become racetracks for those trying to cut out the normally congested parts of this strategic route to the southwest. The bottle neck just to the west of Countess Roundabout is no doubt to blame for some of this, but it is heavily compounded by single lane roads and roundabouts which are overladen by traffic from every angle.  Clearly, something does need to change. The A303 is an important freight and tourism route to the Southwest but, like many of our roads, was never designed for the motorway-like levels of traffic it receives.

Whether this justifies a hugely expensive and disruptive building project, with some real threats to the historic landscape, with the end result of denying anyone a free sight of Stonehenge... is a good question. 

Public opinion appears split. There are those who want nothing to change, those who want a tunnel, those who want the A303 dualled with or without flyovers or bypasses. The overwhelming view I pick up, however, is that this project will never actually go ahead. I have no idea whether it will, though currently the Government's policy is to continue pushing against the legal obstacles.

I will continue to meet with the various stakeholders of the project over the coming months to explore all aspects of the scheme, including alternatives. No doubt there will be a few more bumps in the road before we are closer to a final decision"

This is the man who could become our new MP when the boundary changes take place.   He is the son of Pru Leith and I gather the two don't always see eye to eye!   Does what he writes give us any confidence that he's on our side?  I think not!   None of our Parish Councillors here in the village of Shrewton ie. the village most affected by the present over capacity A303, seem to have been invited to the meeting he talks about in the piece, and member's of STAG certainly knew nothing about his meeting even although we are considered "Stake Holders" attending regular Community Forum meetings created by National Highways.  So we have to assume it was pointed at Amesbury whilst Shrewton didn't get a look in!!  

Perhaps Mr Kruger should take a good look at the STAG Blog/Facebook page and update himself on the project and on what's gone on over the past 10 years.  I'm amused that he feels he can just cut in and give his opinion where he talks about "exploring all aspects of the scheme - including alternatives".  He needs to get a feel for local opinion and about the project.....and by local....we mean those who suffer first hand and NOT those who allow their personal whimsical ideas to take precedence...come and visit Shrewton Mr Kruger preferably on a Friday afternoon or Saturday morning and anytime during school holidays.....it's a very dangerous place to be!