Doubt whether the A303 Stonehenge tunnel will go ahead

There are fresh doubts over the construction of the controversial A303 tunnel near Stonehenge.

Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer refused to commit to the scheme and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said he was “in the mind to scrap it”.

It comes after Save Stonehenge World Heritage Site (SSWHS), which opposes the government’s £2bn tunnel on the A303, was given permission to appeal against the decision.

“Everything I’ve heard would make me want to give up,” Mr Davey said.

“We are very dubious about the scheme,” added Mr Davey. “Whether it’s value for money or whether it’s good for the environment.

“Local people have raised a lot of concerns about this and we need to listen to them.”

Sir Keir Starmer earlier said “something must be done” at Stonehenge to improve traffic.

In an interview with BBC Points West, Sir Keir said traffic on the A303 in Wiltshire was “appalling”.

“I think the current plan is a testament to how long infrastructure projects are taking under this government. We need to change that,” Sir Keir said.

“We will have to wait for the court hearing, but then we will review after that,” he added.

“I want to see what the court says about it first, because now it’s a court decision. But something has to be done because the traffic situation there is intolerable.”

In response to Sir Keir Starmer’s comment, a Tory spokesman said:

“It is shameless for Keir Starmer to complain about the delay of the A303 when one of Labour’s biggest donors paid for the legal action that delayed it.

“We pledged to double the A303 in our manifesto – but Labor has made no commitment.”

The Green Party has been contacted for comment. In their manifesto, they say they will “re-imagine how we use residential streets to reduce traffic and open them up for community use” and “invest a further £19bn over five years to improve public transport, support electrification and create new cycle routes and footpaths”.

Reform UK has been contacted for comment.