SPARSE debate has taken place about the English Heritage proposals for siting a temporary Stonehenge visitor centre ready for 2012. I believe £20m is to be spent on this, after decades and £37m of wasted effort for absolutely nothing.
It is a matter for all in this area to comment before the consultation period ends on October 19. How many went to the scant three-day exhibition in Amesbury to discover the uninspiring and illogical ideas being promoted? How many of your readers have even thought about it - a choice of five options and even 12 sub-options?
Surveys have shown most tours operate on schedules which include other historic sites. Here, these visitors want to see and snap the Stones, refresh themselves and move on - with probably less than 90 minutes to do so.
The suggestion in Option 1, is to redevelop the site where it is today, perpetuating, as the leaflet says, the "significant adverse impact" on the World Heritage Site. It would be quite contrary to the spirit of the Convention we signed in 1986.
Of the four other options proposed, only one, a farm reached through the garrison village of Larkhill, offers "facilities" and a distant view of the Stones without a walk of more than 2km. In most cases, the plan is to park remotely from and use "park and ride" (ticketed?), to reach the start of the long walk.
In the four years to the next Olympics, there is time to build a road and visitor centre, given the will. A southerly diversion of the A303, adding possibly four-and-a-half minutes to avoid Amesbury and Stonehenge, yet bypass Winterbourne Stoke, could be built for a fraction of that futile tunnel scheme. Such a route could also solve several other pressing problems in the area. In the final stages of development, it should be published soon.
I can present many other reasons for demolishing the present consultation now. Debate is important and urgent. Try www.stonehengeconsultation.org for a start.
JOHN ELLIS, Farley
ON the afternoon of Thursday, July 17, I visited the public consultation on the future of Stonehenge at Antrobus House in Amesbury, with reference to the location of the visitor centre and the car and bus parks.
When I enquired what proposals there were for the A303, I was told "this was not within their remit".
Some years ago, I visited a highways consultation at the Antrobus Arms Hotel relating to the A303 including a possible fly-over at Countess roundabout, dual carriageways/tunnels past the Stones and the bypassing of Winterbourne Stoke.
When I enquired what the plans were for the visitors' centre, I was told "this was not within their remit". How in the name of common sense can it be possible to do the one without the other?
For the record, my solution is as follows:
Flyover at Countess roundabout - build a new road somewhere adjacent to the existing A303 to create dual carriageway, through to a flyover at Long Barrow, continuing to the north of Winterbourne Stoke and connecting with the existing A303 dual carriageway.
Stonehenge would then be approached from Long Barrow via Airman's Corner to the visitor centre at Fargo plantation, car and coach parks (above or below ground). A cutting for a train to London Waterloo and Bank stations would take visitors to the Stones, turning round at the existing visitor's centre.
The A344 from Fargo plantation past the Stones to the A303 would be closed.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED
THE real future of Stonehenge lies first with its access and the many visitors it receives - the busier this becomes, the more congested it will get, because the area Stonehenge is in is due to receive a massive increase in population within the next few years or so, the government tell us.
It seems convenient that on page 15 of the public consultation, the aerial photograph shows only the close proximity of the A344 to the monument, leaving the A303 in the background.
Does this mean "out of sight out of mind?"
If the amount of local visitors to your exhibitions have been low, or the enquiries have dropped off, it may be the local population has put up with this for so long, has seen so much money thrown at this area, and seen very little done in their interest.
The last time any work was done at this site of any relevance was in the late 1950s and early 60s.
Would it not make sense to get the infrastructure right first, so people travelling to the west and east can pass through the area without hindrance, and local people go about their daily lives without the hassle they have put up with for years?
Would this also not be better for visitors to this monument to travel smoothly to the appointed visitor centre and spend more time there and in our local town?
Frankly, where the visitor centre eventually is will be of no real consequence when the last committee members from our area were ignored for years at the cost of millions.
The present plan is just an appeasement, an offering, a quick make-up job, which does nothing for us.
As the saying goes: "If a job's worth doing, it's worth doing well".
Do the roadworks first.
JOHN WIGGLESWORTH, Durrington
3:55pm Thursday 21st August 2008
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CommentPosted by: Garry Denke, Plano, Texas, USA on 10:44pm Thu 21 Aug 08
Here's an idea. Go to the banks. Withdraw the
funds. Takes about an hour. Have a great day.
http://www.theyworkf
oryou.com/user/?u=34
40
O, almost forgot. Send leftover funds to
Fannie and Freddie to save the 'system'.
Here's an idea. Go to the banks. Withdraw the
funds. Takes about an hour. Have a great day.
http://www.theyworkf
oryou.com/user/?u=34
40
O, almost forgot. Send leftover funds to
Fannie and Freddie to save the 'system'.
Posted by: Garry Denke, Plano, Texas, USA on 12:55pm Mon 25 Aug 08
Michael's idea of digging Aubrey Hole 7 and Heelstone Core 7 now, instead of waiting until late 2012, will save Peter, Mary, and Alun's [italic]grave error[/italic] (Fargo Plantation).
Thanks to Michael's idea, digging Aubrey Hole 7 and Heelstone Core 7 now, costs exceeding £20m for siting a temporary Stonehenge visitor centre, are saved.
Sun of Righteousness at Heelstone
Michael's idea of digging Aubrey Hole 7 and Heelstone Core 7 now, instead of waiting until late 2012, will save Peter, Mary, and Alun's
grave error (Fargo Plantation).
Thanks to Michael's idea, digging Aubrey Hole 7 and Heelstone Core 7 now, costs exceeding £20m for siting a temporary Stonehenge visitor centre, are saved.
Sun of Righteousness at Heelstone
Posted by: Garry Denke, Plano, Texas, USA on 11:01am Wed 27 Aug 08
Jesus Christ! You did it! Jesus Christ!
1. Stonehenge Visitor Centre located near Airman's Corner (A344 / A360) between North and West sources of G-D's Rock Collection.
2. Long-bored twin carriageway tunnels 10-kilometres (6.2-miles) in length beneath the A303 / A344 / A360 highways at Stonehenge.
3. New junctions, bypasses, flyovers, underpasses at Airman's Corner, Longbarrow - Countess Roundabouts, Winterbourne Stoke.
The Pagan! The Druid! The Wiccan!
Peter.Carson@English
-Heritage.org.uk
MaryDouglas@Wiltshir
e.gov.uk
AlunWilliams@Wiltshi
re.gov.uk
Jesus Christ! You did it! Jesus Christ!
1. Stonehenge Visitor Centre located near Airman's Corner (A344 / A360) between North and West sources of G-D's Rock Collection.
2. Long-bored twin carriageway tunnels 10-kilometres (6.2-miles) in length beneath the A303 / A344 / A360 highways at Stonehenge.
3. New junctions, bypasses, flyovers, underpasses at Airman's Corner, Longbarrow - Countess Roundabouts, Winterbourne Stoke.
The Pagan! The Druid! The Wiccan!
Peter.Carson@English
-Heritage.org.uk
MaryDouglas@Wiltshir
e.gov.uk
AlunWilliams@Wiltshi
re.gov.uk
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