28 A303 Stonehenge Tunnel
A303 STONEHENGE TUNNEL
National Highways ’ transformation of the A303 at Stonehenge will sort out a road that does not work for drivers or for people who live , work and holiday in Wiltshire and the south west .
As part of the most direct route between the south east and the south west , the A303 at Stonehenge plays a big part in the daily lives of thousands of people . Because traffic flows along the single carriageway section between Amesbury and Berwick Down are twice what it was originally designed for , the route can be a daily struggle for many .
The Stonehenge World Heritage Site is globally important – a landscape without parallel . Removing the sight and sound of the noisy , busy road from most of the World Heritage Site will return the Stonehenge landscape to something like its original setting . It will allow people to better enjoy and the ancient stones and help them to explore and understand many other fascinating prehistoric monuments in the surrounding landscape .
Minimising the impact on the environment – and improving biodiversity where they can – is fundamental to the scheme . Over the past few years , National Highways ’ team of environmental experts has carried out extensive surveys and studies to understand wildlife populations and movements , assessing air quality and modelling noise levels . They ’ ve also engaged with a host of environmental organisations including Natural England , RSPB and the Environment Agency .
All this has helped identify how best to maximise the benefits . The design reflects this , including features such as green bridges which will help wildlife cross the new road , landscaping and screening . The creation of an area of new chalk grassland will establish new habitats for wildflowers , bats , butterflies and birds , including the rare stone curlew .
This work is pulled together in National Highways ’ extensive 7000-page environmental statement , which forms part of our Development Consent Order ( DCO ) application .
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