"Tourists": protect little barrows (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

"Tourists": protect little barrows

STONEHENGE should remain visible from the A303 and the improved visitor facilities built in their current location, argued Blue Badge guide June Robertson.

Promoting another alternative to the controversial tunnel, Mrs Robertson said the A303 should be turned into a dual carriageway, with part of the road raised over important archaeological remains.

In her plans, Mrs Robertson suggests emergency access and additional visitor facilities, including an archaeology museum that could be housed in arches under the raised road, which would protect a series of barrows.

"I speak on behalf of the tourists who have no collective voice but who provide Stonehenge with its income," she said.

"My plan considers the extra bits at Stonehenge.

"There is a little cluster of round barrows enclosed under the road at the moment.

"If we start digging, they will not be safe.

"I have proposed that a covering be provided over the top, so the little round barrows are safe underneath.

"There will be a tunnel under the dual carriageway, so the byway can go through and a little excavation museum be built."

Mrs Robertson said her plan would keep Stonehenge visible from the road and give tourists more time to visit, as they could park near the monument in an improved car park and enjoy an enlarged visitor centre, without having to travel several miles on a land train, as English Heritage has proposed.

"The site is perfect.

"It is completely invisible from the monument," she said.

"It is just that the buildings are so inadequate - they should have been replaced by English Heritage ages ago.

"We are all tourists at one time or another.

"We all have an interest in being able to move around safely and efficiently and view those things we hope to see.

"I wonder how people would react if they went to London and found they were no longer permitted to look at the Tower of London (because) millions of pounds had been spent on erecting a barricade, so that it was invisible and to visit you had to park at Greenwich and catch a special ferry boat five kilometres away?

"Stonehenge was built to be seen, so why disguise it?

"Why hide it away and cut out all the views?"