They are a disparate bunch. Archaeologists, environmentalists, historians, transport experts, countryside campaigners and druids.
But they will come together in the Strand in central London on Tuesday with a common purpose: to stop the bulldozers from, in their mind, wreaking havoc at one of the UK’s most iconic sites.
They will try to convince the high court over three days that the government’s plan to build a two-mile road tunnel close to the great circle of Stonehenge will permanently disfigure a unique and globally important landscape.
“It’s David and Goliath stuff,” said John Adams, the chair of the Stonehenge Alliance, which has fought against the tunnel and other road projects around the stones for more than 20 years. Though lots of disciplines are represented, they lack the heft of the government machine. “We’re up against the might of the Department for Transport, National Highways and so on. We’re a small organisation – mostly retired people. But the court case is critical. It’s the only thing keeping the earth diggers away,” he said.
It’s an archaeologically rich site that is still being explored:
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/news/2020/jun/mike-parker-pearson-scrapping-stonehenge-road-tunnel-plans
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/news/2020/dec/stonehenge-tunnel-splits-archaeological-opinion
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/history-and-civilisation/2020/11/controversial-tunnel-under-stonehenge-approved-over-archaeologists
And there are concerns about environmental impact:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/07/14/stonehenge-road-tunnel-project-environmental-impact/
If they can remove the overground road there is that not an improvement? It’s not like this area is pristine, there are towns there, a military base etc. this will improve the area immediately around Stonehenge.
If they are spending money on archeology in the area and discovering new things, that’s great. It means the entrance/exit are less likely to damage anything.
On the environment - that’s less of an issue if we can electrify vehicles properly, it’s a busy road because people and freight (lots of warheouses in Aimesbury) use it. We have unfortunately proved that we can’t build railways either so there isn’t much choice.
You are not wrong.
The issue folks have is whether or not due diligence has been done and actually will be done to prevent destroying what could be some major discoveries about the site.
I doubt anyone is actually upset that the road will be gone and the area less of a roadway, it’s more that folks are concerned that they’re just doing it haphazardly.