The Stonehenge Alliance (SA) is condemning National Highways for starting work [by Scottish and Southern Electric Networks (SSEN)] on installing power cables and closing the A360, ahead of the [agreed] start of works on the A303 at Stonehenge. Given that the approval of the scheme is still being challenged in the courts, the SA believes this work is premature and unnecessary. In addition, it risks wasting public money if the legal challenge is successful and its Development Consent Order quashed.
This appears to be the position of local landowners too as National Highways has claimed that with their cooperation the road closure could have been avoided (as reported in the Salisbury Journal). But they wanted to await the conclusion of the legal process before agreeing to allow these works on their land.
Much like the work National Highways is doing on the M25 at J10 Wisley interchange, these works are likely to be hugely disruptive for the local community and its economy, particularly tourism. The Salisbury Chamber of Commerce has called for the works to be suspended. SA believes that it is exactly this sort of behaviour that the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) should be examining in their current investigation of National Highways.
John Adams, chair of the Stonehenge Alliance and one of the 3 directors of SSWHS (Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site), said:
“This work by National Highways ahead of any decision by the courts is premature and risks wasting even more public money in a hugely controversial scheme. Its arrogance seems to know no bounds. It is hell bent on jumping the gun, regardless of the misery it will cause local residents.
“If the courts find something wrong with the decision making then National Highways will have wasted millions of pounds of public money for no reason. It’s time that they were reined in and I hope that the ORR will take a long hard look at what is going on.”
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