A View from the Commons written by Robert Key, MP for
Salisbury.
(Our highlighting)
If you think things have gone very quiet on the Stonehenge front - you are
absolutely right. So, let me bring you up-to-date.
They may just be mouldy old stones to you, but they really matter. First, the
roads past the stones remain dangerous, the traffic gridlock on the A303(T) gets worse, conditions
at Countess Roundabout, Amesbury, remain unacceptable and everyone suffers in the villages north of
the A 303, as well as people living in Winterbourne Stoke and Chicklade.
A significant proportion of our thriving local economy depends on tourism.
Stonehenge is one of the most visited sites in the UK. Back in 1997, visitor facilities at this
World Heritage Site were described by a Commons Committee as 'a national disgrace'.
I challenged the Prime Minister at Question Time on 18th June 1997. He replied, "It is
obviously a national monument of great importance and we will do whatever we can to safeguard
it".
I was present at the launch of the new 'English Heritage' back in 1986. Their
first priority would be to address the Stonehenge crisis. Since then, they have been round and round
in circles in the search for a Visitors' Centre location - and finally settled on the Countess Road
site. The Department for Transport eventually signed up to a deep-bored tunnel, a flyover and new
access roads for the Visitors' Centre at Countess Roundabout and a bypass for Winterbourne Stoke.
Following the Public Enquiry, the Inspector delivered his report on 31st January.
Meanwhile estimates of the cost have been spiralling. In a clever wheeze that kicked the whole thing
into the long grass, in December last the Secretary of State for Transport announced that a
decision on the financing of the Stonehenge project would now be put to a 'regional consultative
body' and it will have to compete with funds for other road improvements in the whole of The South
West.
The Culture Secretary was furious - DCMS had not been told before
DfT made the announcement. The Government Office of the SW said this is an internationally
important scheme that should not prejudice local funds. The Regional Development Agency has
no idea what this 'regional consultative body' would be or do.
On 7th February I was told in a Parliamentary Answer that the Government
is committed to the scheme and removal of the roads is a crucial element. They told me that
the A303(T) Chicklade bypass is not yet in prospect after all and would cost £120 million at
2001 prices - another candidate for 'regional' prioritisation.
Then came the big one. The current 'approved' budget for Countess Flyover,
the 2.1 km tunnel and the Winterbourne Stoke bypass stands at £223m. You won't be surprised to
hear that unattributable sources close to the truth have whispered to me that the estimated (as
opposed to the approved) budget is fast approaching £400m.
I wrote to the Culture Minister on 14th January asking him to 'tell me what is
going on so that I can reassure local people'. I'm still waiting for the answer. Meanwhile, the
closest I've got to the truth was in a lift in the House. With no escape possible, a Transport
Minister admitted the scheme would not proceed whatever the Inspector said unless the
Treasury coughed up more money. Back to the PM, eight years on? Watch this space!
Robert Key MP
12th February 2005
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