Villagers 'at a loss' after Stonehenge tunnel axed

People living in a village that has "5,000 vehicles" travelling through daily say "they have lost all hope" after the Stonehenge tunnel was scrapped.

Some residents in Shrewton, Wiltshire, are considering moving, whiles others have said congestion is adversely impacting their businesses.

They had been hoping a proposed two-mile tunnel through Stonehenge would alleviate traffic issues. But the £2bn scheme was cancelled after a spending review in July.

A government spokesperson said they remain committed to improving transport across the south west of England

Paul McKernan, Shrewton parish councillor, has campaigned for 40 years to improve his village's traffic flow. He claims motorists drive through the area to avoid congestion on the A303.

He told BBC Radio Wiltshire: "Our High Street is either congested or full of speeding traffic depending on the time of day.

"Routinely we get something like 2,500 each way, each day, on this road. I recognise funding is a challenge but this is gradually destroying our village.

"There genuinely isn't another solution. I wouldn't spend £2bn on the tunnel if there was a viable alternative."

Campaign group Transport Action Network (TAN) said railway services should be improved in Wiltshire as an alternative to the tunnel being built.

But Colin Nufer, who runs the Plume of Feathers pub in High Street, said improving train services will not "make any difference to Shrewton".

"Sometimes they [customers] look at traffic and say 'it's too dangerous, can't get through'. It does start affecting the business," he said.

"It's a rat run way through away from the A303. We also get a lot of verbal abuse."

Mike Badham-Thornhill, who has lived in the village for nearly 20 years, said he has "definitely" thought about moving out of the village because of the traffic.

He believes improved train services "may soften the blow, but traffic is still going to increase".

"We're at a total loss, we have no hope," he said.

A TAN spokesperson added they have "every sympathy with people suffering from too much traffic" but they do not think "highly damaging road schemes are the answer".

"We need measures at all levels of government to reduce road traffic and to significantly boost public transport instead," they said.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said they are committed to improving transport across the south west of England.

"We are already delivering measures that will improve bus services by putting them in the hands of local leaders and overhauling our railways, including a commitment to improving operator performance," they said.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.