The government decision not to do much at all about the traffic near Stonehenge after ten years of consultations has brought a mixed response from politicians and campaign groups:
The Liberal Democrat culture spokesman, Dan Rogerson, said the decision "puts a UNESCO World Heritage site at risk of damage from the ever-increasing volume of traffic".
The Conservative shadow transport secretary, Theresa Villiers, said: "Why has this government taken 10 years, only to come back to square one?
"This is one of the most notorious traffic bottlenecks in the country - it impacts on great swathes of the south-west, who will feel betrayed by this announcement today."
However, the Save Stonehenge campaign welcomed the decision, saying a "massive roadbuilding project was always the wrong solution in such a sensitive landscape".
"No one with any sense wanted a tunnel, a flyover, a dual carriageway, and two whacking great interchanges here," spokesman Chris Woodford added. "It's just not acceptable to build 1950s-style motorways in places like this any more."
Tony Richardson, the south-west director of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "It is a great shame that it is not going ahead, but a huge relief that the government has rejected overground alternatives that would dissect the site.
"The tunnel was the most environmentally sensitive option. We hope that changes to planning law do not make an overground road easier to push through in future."
David Holmes, the chairman of the RAC Foundation, said the organisation was "extremely disappointed that the government has condemned Stonehenge to further environmental damage due to their failure to act".
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/dec/06/pollution.homeaffairs
Thursday, December 6, 2007
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