Skip to main content

Stonehenge tunnel controversy exacerbated by recent incident

The controversy surrounding the driving of a new road tunnel close to the UK’s Stonehenge monument has deepened following a recent incident. A 3m diameter hole was allegedly drilled through an important archeological find, a platform constructed of flint and animal bone, located close to the site Stonehenge. The platform is thought to have been erected some 6,000 years ago, making it older than Stonehenge itself, and preserves hoof prints made by aurochs, giant wild cattle that are now long extinct.
December 7, 2018 Read time: 2 mins

The controversy surrounding the driving of a new road tunnel close to the UK’s Stonehenge monument has deepened following a recent incident. A 3m diameter hole was allegedly drilled through an important archeological find, a platform constructed of flint and animal bone, located close to the site Stonehenge. The platform is thought to have been erected some 6,000 years ago, making it older than Stonehenge itself, and preserves hoof prints made by aurochs, giant wild cattle that are now long extinct.

The construction of the tunnel is a necessary project as the busy A303 route features just a single lane in either direction as it passes Stonehenge and the road is no longer fit for purpose. Traffic congestion are delays are frequent along this particular stretch of the A303 while there are serious concerns over safety. One of the biggest controversies surrounding the project however is that many believe the preferred route for the tunnel to be too short, risking damage to the historical site. There are also concerns that driving the new tunnel will affect the high water table in the area, potentially damaging other features of archeological importance.

Stonehenge is a 1384 Unesco world heritage site due to its historic importance.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • New tunnelling machines are coming to market
    May 13, 2015
    Major gains in tunnelling productivity and performance are claimed for a series of new machines now coming to market These new tools will help contractors boost productivity and versatility in an array of applications. The new equipment items are designed for a variety of tasks, including drilling and shotcreting duties. One of the leaders in the underground equipment sector, Atlas Copco, has a new line-up of single and twin boom drill rigs, which suit duties in smaller tunnelling applications. The fi
  • US road safety is a cause for concern
    September 6, 2021
    There is concern over a worrying trend in US road safety, while there have been steady gains in road safety in Europe
  • Improvements for Australia’s Great Ocean Road
    October 19, 2017
    A series of safety upgrades will be introduced for Australia’s historic Great Ocean Road. The Australian Federal Government and Victoria Government are co-funding improvement works worth nearly US$40 million (A$40 million).
  • A new highway for northern Colombia
    July 17, 2023
    The Pamplona-Cúcuta highway is playing an important role for the development of northern Colombia