Not just a host of top archaeologists, not just ICOMOS, not just UNESCO, not just the National Audit office, not just the AA, not just a host of Environmental and Archaeology organisations, not just The Transport Action Network but now Chris Stark, the head of the Committee on Climate Change, (an independent body formed under the Climate Change Act to advise the Governments and Parliament on tackling and preparing for climate change) has said about the Government’s massive road-building programme which includes the A303 past Stonehenge:

“It would be better for the economy and the fight against climate breakdown for the billions of pounds allocated for road-building to be invested in broadband – especially in light of the coronavirus crisis, which has led to many more people working from home.

“The government mustn’t be investing in anything likely to increase carbon emissions, I expect that video-conferencing will become the new normal and we won’t return to travelling the way we did. I would spend the roads budget on fibre. You would get a huge return to the economy with people having better connections. You would save people’s time and increase their productivity.”

 

It’s intriguing for (as one might expect) Highways England has already rejected that view and implied roadbuilding is good for the environment, but English Heritage, Historic England and The National Trust are yet to join them. Where will those three bodies find a kamikaze spokesperson to say the tunnel is still a good idea? Our bet is that the current crisis has blown away all professional support for it within those organisations leaving Highways England as an embarrassing outlier.