Sean,
Isn't 'excellent Government' an oxymoron?
Matt35.
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Ha ha ha.
I don't know about oxymoron, but I'd certainly be a moron if I thought "excellent government".
The site is excellent, though. I've written to the Highways bods before and they always write back to you.
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Isn't 'excellent Government' an oxymoron?
Not as much of an oxymoron as something which came up in a recent pensions meeting.
"the combined wisdom of investment analysts!"
oh how we laughed, cynics every one
Don't vote it only encourages them
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My thanks to you both. Sites make no mention of road works on the 303 near Stonehenge, so I assume that the works have been completed.
Thanks again for the input.
Rgds, Pete.
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Completed a little while ago but.........
about to start again shortly, probably just waiting for the August Bank Holiday so they can cause the maximum possible disruption.
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My thanks to all.
Rgds Pete.
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What exactly are they doing to the A303 there? I always use that route when heading down to Cornwall and will be likely going down very soon.
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Understand there are proposals for re-routing to create greater area around Stonehenge. Not sure of details or progress.
Rgds.
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Would you believe that 'they' are proposing to put the A303 in a tunnel so that while standing as close to Stonehenge as you are allowed (several hundred yards) you will see no traffic and think you are back in the time of the original druids? A fine idea which should cost in the region of 140 quazillion pounds.
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I live 5 miles from Stonehenge and use the A303 on a daily basis, here is my traffic report!
The roadworks on the single carriageway section of the A303 are now finished, for the time being - this is west of Stonehenge.
BUT there are always huge traffic queues at peak times at every point where a dual carriageway section of the A303 becomes single carriageway.
The worst place is by the roundabout for Amesbury; going west, this roundabout is the first junction of any kind if you travel westbound using the M3 and A303, and there are often tailbacks up this dual carriageway.
The worst section is the dual carriageway immediatley after this roundabout, still going west, as it ends after about 3/4 mile becoming single carriageway just before you spy Stonehenge itself.
The worst times here are every Friday from lunchtime until late at night, all day Saturday, and Sunday from around 4.00pm until 9ish.
The best time to travel through this section at a weekend is Friday morning and Sunday night after 9.00pm
There have been plans to "improve" this part of the A303 for the last 20 years and to date nothing has been done. I will only believe it when I see it happen, until then I suggest caution as there are accidents on this section EVERY weekend.
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Certainly the 'Y' junction right beside Stonehenge (where the road dips and bends) seems very dangerous, particularly for cars turning right off the 303 heading West.
Passsing that way on Friday, hope it's clear.
Stu.
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The company I work for are the consulting engineers on the Stonehenge Scheme.
Go to
www.mottmac.com/html/03/project.cfm?projectid=38&p...t
for more information.
Sorry don\'t know how to set up links.
PS. Unrelated subject. My Volvo V70 is due for a 130K service. As its the first service in my ownership and I don\'t want to pay silly money at a dealer, how much would it cost at an independent.
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Good afternoon all,
I'm pretty sure that I know what the answer to this query might be but could someone please advise whether or not it would be madness to attempt to stay on the A303 beyond Amesbury on my west-bound trip down to Shaftesbury this Friday (of August Bank Holiday fame) during the day. I'd be hitting that area around 2pm-ish; no earlier.
My feeling is that it is likely to be madness. If that is the case would it be a good idea to turn off the Andover Bypass onto the A343 towards Salisbury and thence to Shaftesbury; or dare I stay on the A303 towards Amesbury but turn off at Beacon Hill onto the A338 to Salisbury?
I'll be coming from Surrey; M25/M3/A303.
Alternatively, I can go M25/A3/A31 to Winchester/B3049 to Stockbridge/A30 to Salisbury/Shaftesbury.
Any advise would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Kim
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>>>>Alternatively, I can go M25/A3/A31 to Winchester/B3049 to Stockbridge/A30 to Salisbury/Shaftesbury.<<<<
That would certainly be my choice for a bank holiday Friday!
Pat
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I live only 5 miles from Stonehenge just off the A303 and have been there for over 20 years, so have some experience of this road! Do NOT use it on the Friday of a Bank Holiday weekend! The traffic is likely to be queued from Stonehenge back to the Amesbury roundabout, and then up Beacon Hill, and possibly back to the A338 interchange.
This area is a nightmare most weekends and especially during school holidays. My two sons have summer jobs at Stonehenge and despite living 5 miles away sometimes it can take them 30 minutes to drive there, and that is using the back roads.
Your diversion coming off at Andover is excellent and I know it well, just hope that not too many others use it!
By the way, all plans for any road improvements around Stonehenge have been postponed for the foreseeable future according to government.
Happy diversions!
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New Civil Engineer - 21May2009
"Stonehenge tunnel plan finally laid to rest
Plans to build a £540M tunnel beneath the stones of Stonehenge have finally been killed off in place of a cheaper scheme which involves shutting the junction between the A344 and A303.
The Highways Agency has this week confirmed that it has scrapped the tunnel plans in place of £159M of modest junction improvements on the single carriageway A303."
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The tunnel would have been better. Anyway rerouting the junction between the A303 and the A344 to a point west of Stonehenge will make the whole business of parking at Stonehenge less fraught. For some years now there's been a pedestrian tunnel from the car park to the stones, but people used to cross the 344 on foot. And cars used to go like the clappers on Salisbury Plain in the fifties and early sixties. My parents and sister had an accident at the car park entrance in about 1962 or 63. No one badly hurt, but Cortina (and fast-moving Zodiac) written off...
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The tunnel would have been better.
It would be easier to move the stones. Could finish building the thing while they are at it.
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Lud, I don't think there was a car park at all in the sixties.
I remember stopping there in the early seventies on the way down to Devon - 63 mkII Jag, we 'ad, with those nice aircraft-style walnut veneered pic-nic tables in the back - drinking coffee in the little layby opposite the stones. Not even a fence in those days.........
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As a wee toddler i peed up the stones.
No 1
Dont go on the A303 past stonehenge on a bank holiday. Everytime I go that way I say to myself it must be better. It never is. Ever.
No 2
Its a national disgrace that a world heritage site, of such importance and historical significance, is blighted by those stupid roads going past it. They should be moved.
Edited by Altea Ego on 27/08/2009 at 00:48
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They should be moved.
which? the old lumps of rock or the clogged arteries?
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I don't think there was a car park at all in the sixties.
Well, there was, in the same place as now but smaller.
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...As a wee toddler i peed up the stones....
I recall when you were allowed to walk within touching distance, might have been the early 1970s.
Some of the stones had the 'Kev wuz here' type of graffiti.
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The problem now is the sheer number of visitors to the stones. They are on the tourist loop of London-Bath-Oxford for the international tour companies, and the average number of visitors during the summer is 7,000 - per day!
Imagine that number of people walking around a confined area, like the stones, every day. That is the reason for keeping visitors at a distance now, and for moving the walkway around the stones. It should be noted that you can apply for "special access" after normal closing times and have a guide take you right up to the stones.
My sons are working there during university holidays and last week they had 50 coaches arrive at the same time! That is about 3,000 arriving together, and it was chaos as they had not pre-booked admission. Imagine the lucky family arriving just behind that lot!
There are plans to close off the dangerous Y shaped junction with the A303 and A344, but that is all.
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And how many of those 7,000 have any real interest in ancient history. Perhaps they should consider building a replica henge much on the lines of the Lascaux caves in France. This could have all the necessary coach parks cafes, toilets, visitor centres that tourists need and be sited just off a motorway somewhere. The original could be left in spendid isolation.
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When you drive on nice new bypasses elsewhere in the EU you'll quite often see a blue EU-flagged board showing the cost and "paid for by the EU" or words to that effect.
I've never seen one of those in the UK. Surely this part of the A303 should qualify for EU money to improve it as the UK apparently can't afford it.
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I live in Essex and my mum is in Dorset so i get to use both the M23 and the A303 so i have had plenty of experience travlling that way and i now will only travel very early or very late and it seems to work. I came back last week and we left Dorset at 20.00 and the A303 was almost deserted,it was fabulous! Admittedly it was a tuesday eve but none the less it made for a very easy drive back. As a bonus i get to the Dartford crossing after 22.00 and its free!
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