They are a disparate bunch. Archaeologists, environmentalists, historians, transport experts, countryside campaigners and druids.
But they will come together in the Strand in central London on Tuesday with a common purpose: to stop the bulldozers from, in their mind, wreaking havoc at one of the UK’s most iconic sites.
They will try to convince the high court over three days that the government’s plan to build a two-mile road tunnel close to the great circle of Stonehenge will permanently disfigure a unique and globally important landscape.
“It’s David and Goliath stuff,” said John Adams, the chair of the Stonehenge Alliance, which has fought against the tunnel and other road projects around the stones for more than 20 years. Though lots of disciplines are represented, they lack the heft of the government machine. “We’re up against the might of the Department for Transport, National Highways and so on. We’re a small organisation – mostly retired people. But the court case is critical. It’s the only thing keeping the earth diggers away,” he said.
Wtf this is the the actual Stonehenge?
I thought the government would be protective of that because it brings in tourists?
You have to remember that the British government does not have any competent people left. They’re down to the dregs, in it for ego or self-enrichment, not any real attempt to govern well.
It’s worse than that. “Conservatives” enjoy destruction. If being conservative meant anything at all, conserving a site like Stonehenge would be a no-brainer. But no. They like to fuck up everything and then screech about how they’re being victimised.
Carbrain go vrooooommm
Road infrastructure brings much more wealth than the tourism at this site. The little A road from SE to SW is always jammed because of the stones, it hasn’t been able to cope with the traffic for years, if not decades.
Of course, any other option than road expansion isn’t going to allow enormous contracts and associated bungs and favours, so destroy our heritage it is.
I feel like I just issued a press release on behalf of .gov/tfl
That is disappointing especially after what happened to Sycamore Gap.
Maybe if it is not to heavy the British Museum can steal it to keep it safe. /s
If they dig under it, then there is very little effect and it gets rid of the busy, noisy and slow main road that goes right by it.
I’m getting downvoted - what damage are you worried about?
It’s an archaeologically rich site that is still being explored:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/news/2020/jun/mike-parker-pearson-scrapping-stonehenge-road-tunnel-plans
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/news/2020/dec/stonehenge-tunnel-splits-archaeological-opinion
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2020/11/controversial-tunnel-under-stonehenge-approved-over-archaeologists
And there are concerns about environmental impact:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/14/stonehenge-road-tunnel-project-environmental-impact/
If they can remove the overground road there is that not an improvement? It’s not like this area is pristine, there are towns there, a military base etc. this will improve the area immediately around Stonehenge.
If they are spending money on archeology in the area and discovering new things, that’s great. It means the entrance/exit are less likely to damage anything.
On the environment - that’s less of an issue if we can electrify vehicles properly, it’s a busy road because people and freight (lots of warheouses in Aimesbury) use it. We have unfortunately proved that we can’t build railways either so there isn’t much choice.