Well, we've been promising for some time that an "event" was going to be organised by
STAG, the Stonehenge Traffic Action Group, to coincide with the Press and Public openings of
English Heritage's new visitors centre at Stonehenge on 17th and 18th December 2013.
Why are we doing this? Well, for dual reasons. First, we wish to mark the untimely passing of the A344, at the behest of English Heritage, and to the detriment of many villages for many miles around. The closure of this road, together with the inane changes to Longbarrow roundabout and the ruination of Airman's Cross have led to the long-predicted traffic chaos on the A303 and dangerous rat-running through local villages. For many years, up until early 2011,
Wiltshire Council were resolutely against the closure of the A344 WITHOUT the prior improvement of the A303 - then for reasons that no-one seems to want to explain, they lost their nerve. So this part of our protest will also serve to remind Wiltshire Councillors, and particularly those charged with Transport issues, that they once had spines.
Second, we need to look forward to the future. We have to ensure that plans to dual the A303, bypass the Stonehenge World Heritage Site and improve the
Highway to the Sun along it's entire length do not get delayed, or forgotten yet again, as they have so often over the last 50 years - with at least £43 million wasted on reviews, planning and public inquiries since 1991 and with another £15 million being used for the next feasibility study. In the shorter term, we need to pressure all parties to ensure some short-term solutions are put in place to relieve the beleaguered local residents AND the frustrated travellers wishing only to get to destinations to the east and west of Stonehenge in a reasonable time.
A duality of causes - SH2 - with Stonehenge at the centre
We want to draw all this to the attention of the Press who will be visiting Stonehenge on the 17th December. We also want to ensure the British public and foreign visitors are aware of the problems exacerbated by English heritage - and the 18th of December is a wonderful opportunity to do that.
A duality of audiences - SH2 - with Stonehenge at the centre
Whilst STAG will have supporters at the Stonehenge Visitor's Centre to deal directly with the Press, our main protest will focus on the issue at the heart of our campaign - the desire to be able to pass and repass along the highway in an efficient, timely and unobstructed manner. The only sensible way to protest in this way is by using a motorcade - in this case a funeral procession!
A duality of protest - SH2 - with Stonehenge at the centre
You are cordially invited to join the STAG protest motorcades on the:
Tuesday 17th December 2013
08:30 until 10:00
and
13:00 until 16:00
Wednesday 18th December 2013
08:30 until 10:30
as detailed below:
Please note - and this is very important to us, to the local community and to Wiltshire Police, that this is intended to be a peaceful protest. It is a protest that only seeks to pique Press and Public interest and causes maximum embarrassment to all those - who by acts of omission, commission or merely inaction or incompetence - have precipitated the current situation. We do not wish to obstruct or delay any other road users - simply being there is enough.
The processional route is really quite simple - the "loop" of the A360 between the Longbarrow Roundabout on the A303 and the roundabout outside the new Stonehenge Visitor's Centre (route shown in green on the diagram below - click for detailed view) where the A360 used to join the A344!
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| SH2 Protest Route (Green) and Diversions (Blue) |
Tuesday 17th December - Morning
Join the loop between 08:30 and 09:00 - the funeral procession will be leaving Shrewton at 08:30 and travelling south down the B3083 to Winterbourne Stoke. From there, it will head west along the A303 to Longbarrow Roundabout to join the loop. The nice thing about the "loop" is that you will be behind the "hearse" whenever you and they join it. Drive round and round the loop until 10:00 when the 1st procession ends.
Tuesday 17th December - Afternoon
Join the loop at 13:00 - stay till 16:00 if you can.
Wednesday 18th December - Morning
Join the loop at 08:30 to 09:00 - stay till 10:30 if you can.
Please come and join in - even if you can only manage a single session or just a couple of circuits - the more the merrier!
Helpful Advice
If there are traffic problems, we have discussed two diversionary routes (shown in blue on the map abave) with Wiltshire Police. The first leads westward from Airman's Cross to Shrewton along the A360, then down the B3083 to the A303 at Winterbourne Stoke, left along the A303 to Longbarrow Roundabout then back onto the loop. The second diversion route goes left off the A360 onto the A303 at Longbarrow roundabout, east until you reach the Countess Roundabout on the A345, then north to Durrington. Turn left at the roundabout on to the London Road through Larkhill then left again at the Bustard Cross Roads onto the B3086. Travel south towards Airman's Cross.
If in doubt about whether to leave the loop - follow the coffin or any car carrying a STAG SH2 sign.
Please make sure that:
- your car is road legal - taxed, MOT'd and insured;
- all loads, signs and banners are secured;
- you follow the Highway Code;
- you obey all speed limits;
- you drive at the speed of the surrounding traffic - UNLESS it is exceeding the speed limit.
- you don't unnecessarily cause an obstruction on the highway;
- you obey any lawful instruction from a police officer.
In the event of a major traffic incident on roads being used by STAG, an unforseen security situation etc., the procession will be suspended with immediate effect.
We will endeavour to provide a Twitter feed on the day - look for hashtag #SH2 - but this cannot be guaranteed.
