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PROPOSALS to allow for a longer tunnel under Stonehenge by scrapping the junction of the A303 with the A360 from Devizes were put forward at the inquiry on Thursday last week.
Dr John Moon said the shorter tunnel proposed by the Highways Agency would have "catastrophic" archaeological consequences in the area of Longbarrow and for the barrows near Winterbourne Stoke, suggesting the tunnel should pass through the area without an interchange.
"I believe that this amazing landscape deserves much better treatment than it is going to receive under the proposed scheme," he said.
"In particular, I am appalled at what it will imply for the western side of the World Heritage site.
"The crux of our proposal is that the interchange at Longbarrow be abandoned and the A360 be allowed to pass over the A303 without any junction."
In introducing Alternative Route Eight, Dr Moon said the Bronze Age barrows were "spectacular and important" but their setting would be ruined by the planned double roundabout junction and A360 sliproads.
Dr Moon was also concerned that construction work might disturb previously undiscovered remains and the ambience of the beauty spot would be spoiled by the increased noise of the dual carriageway.
The idea of restricted access from the A360 to the A303 has alarmed residents living in nearby villages but Dr Moon argued that most use the A360 to travel from Devizes to Salisbury, and alternative routes on to the A303 could be found.
"These alternatives are already well used, particularly in the summer," he said.
"This interchange will be largely unnecessary once the visitor centre is relocated, and the amount of inconvenience caused to local residents by the removal of the interchange is, in our opinion, considerably outweighed by the financial and environmental benefits of not providing it.
"The removal of the A360 and A303 interchange from the plans opens the way to consideration of a long-bore tunnel, with its western entrance outside the World Heritage site and causing less disturbance to this historic landscape.
"Such an extension to the tunnel would considerably improve the setting of the features of Longbarrow, would remove traffic noise from a much wider area of the World Heritage site and would help fulfil the UK's commitments to conserve the outstanding cultural heritage assets of the site and improve their setting."
Salisbury Journal
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