Stonehenge traffic delays cause misery for motorists, especially west bound beyond Amesbury and are virtually impossible to avoid without upsetting a lot of people. Would a tunnel makes life easier?
# Update: The Stonehenge Tunnel Project has been scrapped
There have even been reports of motorists stopping and getting out of their cars to take photos. This lack of driving care just increases the chances of an accident.
The traffic is bad enough during rush hour but it can get extremely busy during holiday periods with a lot of tourists heading to the west country to counties such as Devon and Cornwall.
Stonehenge Traffic – Is A Tunnel The Solution?
Road planners have been looking at resolving the A303 Stonehenge traffic problems and plan to improve the road between Amesbury and Berwick Down with a tunnel and a new dual carriageway.
I had a leaflet through my door recently from National Highways with information and a map which look pretty interesting. You can read all about the work here:
https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/a303-stonehenge/
The map shows the new dual carriageway from the Countess roundabout at Amesbury and its route to the Eastern tunnel entrance, followed by the route to the Western entrance and onto the surface before it reaches the A360.
A new Longbarrow Junction on the A303 would then link back to the A360 heading South to Salisbury and North towards the Stonehenge visitor centre and Shrewton. The dual carriageway would then go across the proposed River Till viaduct to the north of the existing route and bypass Winterbourne Stoke.
A360 Electricity works
In the summer of 2021, there were plans for Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) to install two electricity cables and a fibre optic cable.
They were to be installed along the A360 from the Longbarrow roundabout.
They then follow the route south to the round about at the top of The Avenue which runs from Wilton.
The plan was to divert traffic along the A345 between Salisbury and Amesbury.
If the A303 Stonehenge tunnel goes ahead then the electricity cable work will also be carried out.
Until it does, the A303 Stonehenge traffic delays will continue and bring misery to motorists.
Click here for live A303 traffic information from the AA Roadwatch.
Let’s wait and see if the Stonehenge tunnel is the solution.
How to Avoid The Stonehenge Traffic Delays.
It may be tempting to try to avoid the traffic delays but it’s really not possible. There are some people who will look at a map and see a route that they think is a good idea.
In many cases, it will route them through one of the small villages and just add to the problems that the villagers face.
The only way to try and avoid the A303 Stonehenge traffic delays is to try to drive when it’s less busy. I know it’s not much help but drivers really do need to avoid these little villages. Please don’t use Shrewton as a rat run.
Also see – Salisbury traffic delays
Stonehenge Tunnel Power Supply
The A360 between Wilton and the Longbarrow Roundabout has reopened as of July 2024. It was closed for several months while the power supply and telephone cable for the Stonehenge Tunnel was installed. This led to increased traffic through the Woodford Valley so they will be happy that it’s all over.
I drove along the A360 the other day (6 July 2024). They’ve made a good job of resurfacing over the trench. Whether the Stonehnege Tunnel ever gets built is another matter. For now, the Stonehenge traffic delays will remain.