OBJECTORS to the Stonehenge Tunnel have started giving evidence at the public inquiry into the £200m roadbuilding scheme.

Richard Maguire, representing east Amesbury residents, who live closest to the proposed road, opposed the plans, claiming lack of economic benefit, catastrophic damage by its construction and increased noise and traffic pollution.

The group, which sends newsletters to 700 homes and was backed by 300 residents at a public meeting, also accused the Highways Agency of not properly considering the impact of the road on the town.

"The elevation of the A303, with its traffic volume over the Countess Roundabout, would deliver light and noise pollution to a wide area," Mr Maguire told the inquiry last Wednesday.

"The flyover is not boxed in and the high speed engine revolutions of through traffic would allow significant noise to spread over a wider volume of Amesbury.

"The Highways Agency has confirmed that the number of properties expected to see an increase in noise following construction would represent some 15 per cent of the Amesbury homes.

"Noise also has an impact on the sensitive Amesbury area Lords Walk, Amesbury conservation area, Amesbury Park and the listed buildings at Countess Farm.

"It is also worth noting that the new visitor centre would perhaps feel this impact if it was built as proposed.

"It is notable that discussion on noise and vibration and air quality in the Highways Agency Statement of Case does not even give Amesbury (as a place) a mention."

The group also disputes the value of tunnel, which will cost £1.3m a year to run, in addition to the hefty construction cost.

Mr Maguire argued that, when these costs were taken into account, the tunnel might not bring economic benefit, even if its use continued to grow.

Another major concern was the effect building the road would have on historic monuments near the famous stones.

"Consultations with the JV team can establish that the methods of developing the tunnel will necessitate the construction of an additional surface road along the existing A303 between the two tunnel portals," said Mr Maguire.

"This will be used for some three years by heavy plant (vehicles) and will have to be of substantial construct.

"This will be catastrophic to the ground surface over the 2.1km stretch.

"Indeed, it might be just as bad as having a new road built as the surface carriageway anyway.

"There are more than 400 scheduled monuments within the World Heritage Site and we recognise that none of the monuments within the site is directly affected by the proposals.

"However, many barrow groups and monuments outside the site will have adverse effects.

"In this area, the proposed scheme would have catastrophic effects on the setting and archaeology of the Stonehenge area."