Villagers are campaigning for a solution to ongoing traffic issues after plans for the Stonehenge tunnel were axed.

In July 2024, the £1.7bn scheme to build a tunnel near Stonehenge on the A303 was scrapped by the Labour government. Richard Clewer of Wiltshire Council said that he was "very dismayed and disappointed" by the decision which was likely to benefit the local economy.

Shrewton, located just off the A303, experiences a high volume of traffic because of the main road, so the news was also a disappointment to many of the local people.

Shrewton is located just off the A303Shrewton is located just off the A303 (Image: Google Maps)

At a village meeting at Shrewton recreation ground on Thursday, September 12, parish councillor Paul McKernan shared a presentation about Shrewton’s traffic campaign to some 70 people who attended.

READ MORE: LETTER: 'A303 tunnel plans have gone, but traffic is still here'

Paul, who has lived in Shrewton for 24 years, said: “It’s about a topic that’s dear to everybody’s hearts.

“We really do feel very let down – not just nationally but locally as well, in terms of support for the town that has to deal with what is an intolerable situation.”

The village meeting shared plans for solutions to the A303 challenges and reduce the volume and speed of traffic passing through Shrewton.

A local plan B has been formed, involving works such as redesigning Longbarrow and rebuilding Rollestone crossroads, but Paul shared that any alternative to the tunnel is unlikely to be cheaper.  The combined projects under local Plan B would be millions but nowhere near the cost of the tunnel.

'It's choking the life out of our village''It's choking the life out of our village' (Image: Paul McKernan)

“It’s choking the life out of our village”, Paul added, “the volume (of traffic) is just unbelievable. People on London Road in particular, a car goes past every 10-15 seconds, it’s a pretty unpleasant thing. The houses are quite close to the road, and it brings the village to a standstill.”

Paul is urging villagers to contact the MP and Wiltshire Council, as well as not ‘accepting’ the tunnel decision.

Villagers are currently waiting for the government’s transport infrastructure review to be published, to see whether plans have been made to support the traffic campaign for the village

The next meeting in Shrewton will take place on Thursday, September 19. It will discuss the government’s planning policy that could see 129 new houses being built in Shrewton over the next five years.