The Chairman introduced
Christopher Jones, consultant to Highways England, who provided an
update on the proposed work to the A303.
There was a Government
Strategy to create an expressway along the A303/A358 corridor.
There had been issues including that the road would go through a
world heritage site. Three schemes were being promoted on a
parallel timescale.
Following the
consultation early this year, the preferred route was announced in
September 2017.
The line of the route
was moved back up closer to the A303 and closer to Winterbourne
Stoke. There would be two junctions either site of the World
Heritage Site, with a twin bored tunnel 8 miles long.
What has been
happening
·
Development
of the preferred route
·
engagement
with local community
·
discussion
with land owners and other stakeholders directly affected by the
scheme
·
Carrying
out additional surveys and studies
·
developing
the traffic model.
Next steps
·
Early 2018
– formal consultation
·
Feedback
taken into consideration before submitting a planning
application.
·
In the
pre-application phase now.
For further
details:
Email: A303stonehenge@highwaysenglan.co.uk
Phone: 0300 123
5000
Questions:
- Would Long Barrow
roundabout be a roundabout after the road was finished? Answer: No,
the A303 would go under.
- Did the proposals
include a plan to shut some access to the A303, east of the
Solstice junction? Answer: The through road to London from the
south, would not have these cross overs.
- Highways England had
not yet approached the land owners and the affected farmers.
Answer: They had been in contact with those directly
affected.
- The Allington Track is
proposed to be closed to vehicular traffic, this was detailed in
the scoping paper. Answer: This was as a
consequence of creating the express way.
- You are so close to
going to public consultation and yet you have not yet contacted the
landowners. Answer: We can have a separate conversation out of the
meeting to discuss this. Before any proposals to close the track,
there would need to be discussions on what affect the closure of
the track would cause, and include those affected by
it.
- There were genuine and
deep-felt concerns relating to the Allington Track scheme.
Consequence of expressway status the Allington track will have to
close. Therefore, the landowners, farmers, Boscombe down have
concerns. We ask that you have detailed consultation with these
people. Answer: That detailed consultation will happen before the
proposals are put forward.
- Those concerned with
the access on the north side to Bulford, would need to be consulted
on as well. When there is a grade separation junction at countess
the nature of the traffic on that road will change greatly. This
level of impact needs to be included in the plans. Answer: Highways
England would talk to all interested parties. The traffic model
would look at all of the surrounding
impacts on the local road network.
- When would the traffic
modelling start? Answer: The model is in hand. From February,
onwards there would be a consultation where there will be ample
opportunities for all of these issues to
be discussed.
- Once an expressway is
conceived and planned it would extend the whole length of the A303,
so there would be a lot of people interested. We hope the
consultation process does listen to those concerns. The Allington
track is the crash gate for Boscombe Down. Needs to be fully
addressed in the planning. Answer: That detail would be picked up
during the consultation.
Note: Since the
meeting the following additional information has been fed back,
in regards to the Allington Track:
Christopher has
since been in contact with the two agents who had asked about the
Allington Track at the Board meeting. It had been clarified that
consideration was being given, as part of the A303 Stonehenge
project, to the closure of the Allington Track where it connects
with the A303 to make the road safer. Those agents would be having
a meeting with the project team members looking after this aspect
on 12 December, where they will have the opportunity to learn more
and volunteer their views on behalf of their clients.
The Chairman thanked
Christopher Jones for attending to provide the update.