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The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction Wiltshire

Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 22 November 2011  Page Views: 17141

Stonehenge

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The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction
The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction submitted by h_fenton : News: The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction Looking towards Stonehenge over the byway that passes to the west of the henge. Camper vans have been parked up here overnight, I think some of these might be here more than just over a single night, but at least everything is tidy. Kite Aerial Photograph 29 August 2011 (Vote or comment on this photo)
A public inquiry into the removal of the A344 road and proposed restrictions on the "Boats" (the drove / track) which would have disallowed overnight parking was held in Salisbury earlier this year.

The Stopping Up Orders Inquiry formally closed in June 2011 and the Traffic Regulation Order Inquiry was held in September 2011.

The official web site here which includes the documents submitted to the inquiry to download is here. Look in the 'latest information' section to download the inspector's final report.

Note: Victory for King Arthur and off-road enthusiasts as inspector recommends the drove should remain open to vehicular traffic
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The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction
The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction submitted by JimChampion : By-way west of Stonehenge. Looking south on the by-way that runs between the A303 and A344 roads, just west of Stonehenge. In the summer there are often camper vans parked on this lane, probably because they don't easily fit into the Stonehenge car park. As the evidence demonstrates, this is a byway open to all traffic (4 comments - Vote or comment on this photo)


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"The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction" | Login/Create an Account | 26 News and Comments
  
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Re: Inquiry into Stonehenge A344 closure plans by Anonymous on Wednesday, 02 October 2019
And here we are in 2019 and the latest agenda is too build a tunnel now under to stop people seeing it for free ............my god is there no end to these piglet ideas?
[ Reply to This ]

Re: Inquiry into Stonehenge A344 closure plans by Anonymous on Friday, 03 January 2014
Another cash cow.
Information says Trust money is used (£10 million).
I have just been to Stonehenge.
It now costs £15 to enter and apparently they get over 1 milion visitors a year.

That's a payback of around 7 months.

Then, money money money.
The UK is milking us all yet again.

Have you tried going anywhere in the UK for less than £15 a head. It costs me £15 just for a travel card for the day on the train.

Wish I was a rich politician/banker/"insert other criminal here".
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    Another cash cow by davidmorgan on Friday, 03 January 2014
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    "According to official data, about 1.89 million visitors strolled through the streets of Ephesus this last year [2012]." - Hürriyet

    I reckon Stonehenge is lagging a bit.
    [ Reply to This ]

Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by Andy B on Tuesday, 22 November 2011
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The planning inspector has ruled that byways surrounding Stonehenge will remain open to motor vehicles. However the A344 will close as planned. English Heritage intends to return the area to grass as part of plans for a new visitors’ centre at Airman’s Corner.

Regarding the byway known as 'the drove', planning inspector Alan Boyland said: “I accept that Wiltshire has a considerably greater length of byways than any other county. This is not however, in itself, a reason for allowing a further loss for recreational motor vehicle users.

“In this case, the loss of a further 7km, particularly given the strategic importance of those routes, and without similar alternative routes being available, would in my view be significantly detrimental to the current users.”

At the inquiry, Druid leader King Arthur Pendragon said: “It appears that the inspector has erred on the side of common sense and found himself in agreement with the points made.”

Source:
http://www.salisburyjournal.c...

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    Re: Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by Andy B on Tuesday, 22 November 2011
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    It may be an oversimplification to say a 'victory' to King Arthur. The inspector writes:

    "I consider that parking on the BOATs is detrimental to the setting of
    Stonehenge and the visual amenity of the WHS. The concerns of groups
    such as the Druids and Pagans about what they see as the introduction of
    restrictions on parking on the Byways are understandable. However, it
    seems that there is no right to do so in any event and hence no such right
    would be negated by the TRO."

    He suggests "making and enforcing an Order specifically prohibiting parking on the relevant lengths of BOATs, and/or physical measures such as reducing the widths of the BOATs."

    The decision to keep them open seems to largely have come down to

    "it seems to me that diverting trail riders from BOATs onto roads would be likely to increase the level of risk to their safety, even if the particular roads involved are not in themselves significantly more dangerous than other similar ones."

    " the loss...

    Read the rest of this post...
    [ Reply to This ]
      Re: Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by h_fenton on Tuesday, 22 November 2011
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      Ok so the A344 is being closed, While I support the Drove remaining open I sort of have slight mixed feelings now whether it is such a good idea - I think that where the drove meets/crosses the A303 will just become an accident blackspot with a greater number of people turning in or emerging from the drove.
      [ Reply to This ]
        Re: Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by AngieLake on Tuesday, 22 November 2011
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        I think Hamish is right. It's not quite so bad at the A344 junction, but its junction with the A303 is lethal.
        In 2010, after walking with a friend from West Amesbury to Stonehenge, via the barrows to the south, we had to cross the A303 to the Drove road from the Normanton side. Finding that gap *really* was scary: there was hardly a break in the traffic hurtling along the A303.
        [ Reply to This ]
        Re: Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by Andy B on Tuesday, 22 November 2011
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        Mmm, yes. The inspector did recommended a 'no right turn' be put in place at the A303 / Drove junction but didn't consider this safety issue futher (not that I spotted)
        [ Reply to This ]
          Re: Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by PastMaster on Sunday, 27 November 2011
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          I must say I am (selfishly) delighted with the decision, as I always divert along the drove road when I pass Stonehenge, not just because of the excellent view but because the road also passes the Cursus further north. When I attended the original consultation (long ago) no-one seemed to have considered this BOAT at all. Enforcement of no-parking along the drove road seems like a sensible decision though, and the above comments are correct about the very dangerous junction with the A303. I hope the zone won't extend as far as the Cursus, as it's convenient to stop there and explore, and few people actually venture that far.
          Finally the Drove Road is the only place you can park for the Winter Solstice morning - will they enforce a no parking rule then, I wonder?
          [ Reply to This ]
            Re: Victory for King Arthur as inspector recommends drove should remain open by Anonymous on Thursday, 26 December 2019
            Yes they did this year what a surprise and the drove remains shut?
            [ Reply to This ]

Permission given for section of A344 to be closed by Andy B on Tuesday, 01 November 2011
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Following the public inquiry, the planning inspector has granted permission for a section of the A344 at Stonehenge to be closed and returned to grass.

English Heritage wants to return the area to grass as part of plans for a new visitors’ centre at Airman’s Corner and an inquiry was held in June.

Inspector Alan Boyland attached two conditions to the permission, to improve Longbarrow Roundabout and for confirmation of details regarding pedestrian and cycle routes along the A344.

More at:
http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/news/salisbury/salisburynews/9337073.Permission_given_for_section_of_A344_to_be_closed/
and see also
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-15540031
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Re: Inquiry into Stonehenge A344 closure plans - Closing Submissions by Andy B on Tuesday, 18 October 2011
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You can read the Closing Submissions here
http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/stonehengeclosingsubmissions.htm

Whatever you may think of King Arthur it is rousing stuff, an extract:

We have heard from English Heritage, how they propose to
cater for the Solstices and Equinox, the proposal they put
forward without consultation I might add, with us or any of the
other Pagan or Druid Groups, Is ill-conceived, unrealistic, totally
inadequate and unworkable as they would have realised had
we been consulted, and will in my submission, create far more
problems than it aims to solve.

They would have 'us' turn up punctually on the day and date
given (arbitrarily set in stone) timing our arrival to coincide with
their opening, with no thought to the prevailing traffic conditions
on the various motorway networks and arterial routes
throughout Britain and beyond, that we must use, as our
members and congregation embark upon their pilgrimages from
differing towns, villages, and...

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Re: The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction by Andy B on Tuesday, 18 October 2011
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SGWI STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE AT TRO PUBLIC INQUIRY

STATEMENT

We are not discussing The Road Less Travelled - these roads are the amongst the most travelled, by all manners of persons and vehicles, freely, for thousands of years and we plead for the right to continue along these byways open to ALL TRAFFIC under our own steam, on foot, by modern car, or otherwise. The BOATs in question have higher rights and are entered on the Definitive Map.

Why don't you want cars parking? Is it because it spoils the view from the visitor centre? That may be so if you are parked on the brow of a byway but hardly to be in sight elsewhere? Because it detracts from someone's amenity, who is to say one amenity is more pertinent to consideration than another?

We are still awaiting the outcome of all the forced amendments to the Visitor Centre [VC] application before it is fully approved. These also contain disabled and parking facilities. Its been requested not to involve the VC in this TRO...

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Re: The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction by Anonymous on Tuesday, 18 October 2011
Close the A344 fair enough but Byway 12 should be kept open. It is an ancient right of way and traffic using it is minimal. A few farmers, campers, and photographers. It would also give disabled people of limited means a way to see sunrise at the stones. It doesn't run close to the stones like the A344 and allows viewing from a respectable distance. The only reason English Heritage want to close it, is to give themselves exclusive access to the stones unless you want to walk a few miles. GREED, GREED, GREED.
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Re: The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction by Anonymous on Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Well, I am trying to see both sides here. I can kind of understand people being annoyed by not being able to look through the fence if they don't want to pay to come in--BUT, remember the fence is coming down with the road closure. Obviously there will be security (and probably someone with a ticket machine) to keep people from running into the monument and/or coming in without a ticket beyond a certain distance, but there's nothing to stop you approaching on foot from,say, King Barrow ridge or across from the Cursus just to get a look. So, very likely, within a certain distance, a non-paying visitor will indeed be still able to see the stones!
Of course,parking would be the problem if the green track was closed. (the present carpack is also to be decomissioned as a public carpark)..but hey, a bit of walking won't hurt surely, if you really want to have a look.
I'm afraid the jumble of camper vans on the west track can be pretty lunsightly at times, and certainly some of them...

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Re: The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction by Anonymous on Friday, 23 September 2011
Just another attempt to both shut out the Druids and make more money off the car park. Sadly, commercialism trumps tradition.
[ Reply to This ]

Draft Inquiry Programme, recommencing 20th September 2011 by Andy B on Tuesday, 19 July 2011
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STONEHENGE TRAFFIC REGULATION ORDER INQUIRY
COMMENCING 20 SEPTEMBER 2011
DRAFT INQUIRY PROGRAMME
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS PROGRAMME MAY BE THE SUBJECT OF FURTHER CHANGES

The inquiry is scheduled to run for three weeks until the 5th October, with the following being some of the witnesses:

Orcheston PC
English Heritage
LARA

Lois Lloyd
David Bullock
Melanie Pomeroy-Kellinger
David Lear
Ms Loraine Knowles
Dr Amanda Chadburn
King Arthur Pendragon
Rollo Maughfling
Vic Price
Andrew Waring
Don Oakley
David Flippance
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Re: The Public Inquiry into the closure of the Stonehenge road and Drove restriction by Harold on Monday, 04 July 2011
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Google street view - I've never been so close.
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Re: Stonehenge Stopping Up Orders and Traffic Regulation Order Inquiries by rldixon on Wednesday, 29 June 2011
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I have seen The Stones from the side of the road for free and paid both to do the tour and to go among the stones too .....they are just a bunch of greedy Ba*$*$ds who want to make sure no one gets near without having to pay money
I think being able to see the Stones for free from the side of the road is A RIGHT NOT a privilege
[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Stonehenge Stopping Up Orders and Traffic Regulation Order Inquiries by Blingo_von_Trumpenstein on Wednesday, 29 June 2011
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    Here here. I consider it my RIGHT aswell. And I will be prepared to fight for it . . watch this space . . .
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Stonehenge Stopping Up Orders and Traffic Regulation Order Inquiries by Andy B on Tuesday, 28 June 2011
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The Stopping Up Orders Inquiry formally closed on Monday 27 June 2011 and the Traffic Regulation Order Inquiry has been adjourned until Tuesday 20 September 2011.

Official web site here which includes the documents submitted to the inquiry:
http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/stonehengeinquiry.htm

[ Reply to This ]
    Re: Stonehenge Stopping Up Orders and Traffic Regulation Order Inquiries by Andy B on Thursday, 30 June 2011
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    celtia on the Stonehenge Peace list has speculated that the adjournement
    "may be due to lack of public access to evidence prior to the inquiry, but we are awaiting written clarification. I predicted this would happen as i have been studying how the process is "supposed" to work, and how the processes is being manipulated to disadvantage the objectors. However We the objectors now have another 10 weeks to study e/h's statements of evidence and adjust our evidence accordingly. Some people have not even seen this e/h evidence yet as it was delayed till the very last minute due to "office errors"sic .."
    [ Reply to This ]
    Re: Stonehenge Stopping Up Orders and Traffic Regulation Order Inquiries by Anonymous on Sunday, 03 July 2011
    Please study the documents that are available and send your objections
    in to the inquiry as it it likely to be completely restarted afresh. Any "public
    protest" re the closing of the drove would be pointless until the decision has
    ACTUALLY been made, until then the most useful thing for objectors to do is to
    object in writing to the inquiry so that you opinions CAN be included in the
    decision making. It's NOT a foregone conclusion that EH and Wilts will succeed
    in stopping up the drove permanently so please get your opinion down on paper
    and send them in. However IF they do succeed in closing the drove's I have no
    doubt there will be rather a lot of LARGE ongoing protests in that location.

    LARA, PO Box 142, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 5YP
    http://www.laragb.org
    To Helen Wilson
    Programme Officer
    Stonehenge TRO Inquiry
    21 June 2011, by email, 18.25.

    Dear Helen,
    Further to my letter of yesterday regarding the failure of Wiltshire Council to
    issue the statutory notices...

    Read the rest of this post...
    [ Reply to This ]
    BOAT (Byway open to all traffic) Street View by Andy B on Sunday, 03 July 2011
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    The BOAT (Byway open to all traffic) that EH and Wiltshire CC are trying to close, along with the A344 is here. As you can see it is possible to park up on it and overnight parking up is tolerated.


    View Larger Map

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Inquiry into Stonehenge A344 closure plans by Andy B on Tuesday, 28 June 2011
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Plans to close the main road east of Stonehenge and return it to grass are being scrutinised at a public inquiry.

English Heritage wants to stop traffic from travelling close to the stones and "restore the dignity" of the World Heritage Site by closing the A344.

Those opposed include chief druid Arthur Pendragon who has argued that it would give English Heritage a monopoly on access to the site.

The inquiry in Salisbury, Wiltshire, began on Wednesday.

In June 2010 Wiltshire Council granted planning permission for a new visitors centre at Airman's Corner, 1.5 miles (2km) west of Stonehenge.

Under the current scheme, the existing car park and visitor facilities at the stones will be removed and the area "returned to grass".

English Heritage has said it will be necessary to close the A344 between Stonehenge Bottom and Byway 12 and close part of the B3086.

A new roundabout will replace the current Airman's Corner junction to cope with the increased traffic caused by...

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