DoT bows to 'Henge lobby

The Department of Transport is expected to make a complete U-turn on the route of the œ100 million A303 Amesbury-to-Berwick Down Improvement, which bypasses Stonehenge, as a result of effective lobbying by wealthy local landowners.

Officially, the DoT says it is still only considering two routes - a southern bypass and an on line improvement of the route (which includes a 400m long tunnel under Stonehenge). However it has admitted that a new northern bypass could also be on the cards.

This is despite the fact that the DoT rejected two suggested northern routes when it came up with its preferred scheme more than two years ago.

While no specific route for the new northern option has been agreed, it will have to pass close to many historic monuments to the north of Stonehenge before eating across MoD land.

The DoT volte face has been brought about by pressure from wealthy landowners who took the unprecedented step of hiring Ian Greer Associates, a firm of Parliamentary lobbyists, to oppose the southern route.

So high-powered was IGA's approach that it used Perry Miller, special adviser to former Transport Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, to put forward its case.