Stonehenge road and tunnel plans scrapped

Fears for the future of rare wildlife surrounding Stonehenge were eased yesterday after the Government ruled out a 540m tunnel under the ancient monument as well as alternative plans to build a new road on the site.

There were fears that abandoning the 2.1km tunnel on grounds of cost would lead to a bypass being built across the Wiltshire plains to ease congestion. Among the birds said to have been at risk from such a move was the rare stone curlew.

Announcing it was dropping the Stonehenge project, the Department for Transport said yesterday that "significant environmental constraints" meant there were no acceptable alternatives to the tunnel, which was recommended by public inquiry in 2004.

A new road-building project would have jeopardised the habitat of the stone curlew, for which Wiltshire's chalk grassland is one of only two main UK breeding sites for the bird. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said more than 20 other bird species, butterflies and rare plants would have been harmed by building a road above ground.

The RSPB had backed the tunnel proposal to help ease the existing traffic pressure on the delicate habitat at what is a World Heritage Site. Tony Richardson, the South-west regional director for the RSPB, said: "The tunnel was an opportunity to improve the wonderful landscape of Stonehenge, the experience for its visitors and the safety of passing motorists.

"It is a great shame that it is not going ahead but a huge relief that the Government has rejected overground alternatives that would dissect the site. The tunnel was the most environmentally sensitive option. We hope that changes to planning law do not make an overground road easier to push through in future."

Friends of the Earth's South-west campaigner, Mike Birkin, said: "This is great news for the future of the Stonehenge world heritage site. This road would have encouraged more traffic and damaged one of the most precious archaeological sites on the planet."

He added: "We must invest in low-carbon, sustainable alternatives to the nation's transport problems. The 1bn saved should be spent on sustainable transport projects for the South-west more suited to a low-carbon future, such as an upgrade of the Exeter to Waterloo railway line."

But David Holmes, chairman of the RAC Foundation, said: "A price should not be put on our heritage in this way. We are extremely disappointed that the Government has condemned Stonehenge to further environmental damage and the A303 to chronic congestion due to their failure to act."

The Government had claimed the tunnel would "transform the Stonehenge landscape and give Britain's most famous World Heritage Site the dignified surroundings it deserves." But the cost of the tunnel soared from 223m to 540m.

The Transport minister, Tom Harris, said that allocating such sums for the tunnel "cannot be justified and would not represent the best use of British taxpayers' money".

He said that the preferred option of the National Trust which owns the site for a northern by-pass was ruled out on the grounds of cost and a wider A303 improvement plan was also being dropped because, without the tunnel, "it does not stack up".

The Government intends to consider options for a visitor centre at the site a proposal which has also attracted its fair share of controversy.

MPs with constituencies in the area were furious and accused the Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly, of leaving her junior minister Mr Harris to do her "dirty work".