Billion-pound A303 Stonehenge tunnel plan suspended, Rachel Reeves announces | The New Blackmore Vale Magazine

WORK has been suspended on the multi-billion pound plan to build a tunnel on the A303 near Stonehenge.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves (Lab, Leeds West & Pudsey) today announced the pause as part of a review of transport projects in a bid to save money.

She said the Government had agreed “not to move forward with projects that the previous government refused to publicly cancel despite knowing full well they were unaffordable”.

“That includes proposed works on the A303 and the A27,” the Chancellor added.

The decision came after transport secretary Louise Haigh carried out a review of projects planned by the previous Conservative administration.

It will come as a relief to campaigners who have opposed the A303 scheme – which aimed to alleviate traffic around Stonehenge.

However, it was not welcomed by Wiltshire Council, with leader Richard Clewer (Con, Downton & Ebble Valley) saying: “We are extremely dismayed and disappointed at the Government’s decision to cancel the A303 Stonehenge tunnel project. These improvements are needed now to ease traffic congestion on the A303 and reduce traffic in our communities, and also ensure economic growth in Wiltshire, unlocking jobs and investment in the wider south-west region.

“It has taken many years of lobbying and working closely with partners, including National Highways, to bring this major infrastructure project to Wiltshire, and so it is a huge blow to get to the stage when construction is ready to begin, only to have this taken away from us at this late hour.

“There has already been £160m spent on this project, and cancelling it now wastes that huge investment, including the work to run a power supply up the A360 to the tunnel site. There is currently no viable alternative to the tunnel on the table. It would return the Stonehenge landscape to something like its original setting and allow local communities greater access to the ancient stones and the surrounding World Heritage Site.

“We will remain committed to this project and will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to try to bring this project back to Wiltshire, to reduce rat-running in our communities, to reduce journey times to the wider south-west, to boost economic growth in Wiltshire, and to unlock jobs and investment across the region.”

Meanwhile, the Chancellor announced around £1.5 billion will be saved per year by means testing Winter Fuel Payments paid to pensioners.

The change will mean households with someone aged over State Pension age receiving Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance and income-related Employment and Support Allowance will continue to receive Winter Fuel Payments.

Scrapping the controversial Rwanda scheme – which would have seen asylum seekers sent to the African country – will save £800 million this year and £1.4 billion next year, she said.

Another controversial Conservative plan – Boris Johnson’s New Hospital Programme – will also be reviewed, Ms Reeves said.

Elsewhere, the Chancellor said she would “put an end to devastating strikes costing billions of pounds” by accepting independent Pay Review Body recommendations for public sector workers.