Environment

The A303 is a vital road between the south east and south west of England. The section that passes Stonehenge is a notorious traffic bottleneck.

The current road cuts through the middle of the Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites World Heritage Site (WHS) and is situated just 165m from the Stonehenge monument itself.

We’re planning to greatly improve the area by removing the road, putting traffic through a 3.3km tunnel.

By removing most of the road from the WHS we’ll provide more space for wildlife to thrive, and create new access for walkers, cyclists, and horse riders – who will be able to explore the landscape like never before.

We’ve been working closely with key stakeholders like Natural England, National Trust, and Wiltshire council to develop a scheme that aims to not only directly benefit road users but enhances habitats for plants and wildlife. We’re also working with our suppliers and contractors to maximise opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible.

Where's our wildlife

We’ve been out and about doing wildlife surveys. These help us to build a detailed picture of the wildlife around the A303 – what plants and animals are there and where they live.

Ecology surveys – what we’ve found so far

One of the main benefits of the scheme is to enhance biodiversity in the area. Wildlife will be able to move freely above the tunnel and across green bridges.

Butterfly surveys

Lead ecologist, Stephanie Peay, on the A303 Stonehenge scheme explains what happens during a butterfly survey

What surveys are happening in the area? Botanical survey

We've carried out botanical surveys which will give important information to create more habitats when the new road is built.