Planning consent for the A303 Stonehenge tunnel has been formally revoked by the government in a move the industry described as “disappointing” for hauliers.
The transport secretary said “exceptional circumstances” meant it was appropriate to revoke the Amesbury to Berwick Down development consent order (DCO) in Wiltshire.
The government announced in 2024 that the scheme, which included a tunnel, two junctions and a northern bypass, would be cancelled due to insufficient funding being available to proceed with the project.
The secretary of state Heidi Alexander said there had been a substantial change in the scheme’s deliverability, in particular an absence of secured funding.
She added that national and regional transport priorities had evolved since the DCO was made, and the scheme no longer aligned with current strategic policy objectives.
However, Michelle Gardner, deputy policy director at Logistics UK, said the news was “disappointing for all the logistics operators currently delayed on the A303.
“It is now imperative that an alternative route is identified which will enable vital logistics deliveries to be made to and from the West Country without disturbing the rural roads network across the area,” she added.
