Plans for a two-mile tunnel near Stonehenge have been cancelled by the government. The scheme along the A303 in Wiltshire, initially approved by the previous Conservative government, faced numerous legal challenges from campaigners.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced that the new Labour government has decided to scrap the £2 billion project entirely. The Transport Secretary has agreed not to proceed with the project.
The project aimed to reunite the landscape and reduce traffic visibility from the stones.
Planning permission for the scheme was first granted in November 2020, despite Planning Inspectorate officials warning it would cause "permanent, irreversible harm" to the area. National Highways claimed the tunnel would reduce journey times, ease traffic problems, and remove the road from the landscape view.
The plan has been controversial, with divided local opinion and international interest. UNESCO expressed concerns about the World Heritage Site.
Campaigners have repeatedly taken the project to the High Court, with the first approval quashed in 2021, then reinstated by the Department for Transport (DfT) in July 2023. It was paused after another High Court challenge in December, and a judicial review in February confirmed the DfT had followed the correct process. Campaigners appealed this decision, and in May, they were granted approval to challenge it.
The ancient monument has frequently made international headlines, partly due to the contentious road plans.
