§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish the instructions and advice which they have given to, and questions which they have asked of, firms in the course of commissioning estimates for a twin bore tunnel at Stonehenge. [HL4394]
Lord WhinyIt is not practical to publish details of all the instructions and advice given and questions asked of consultants over the period during which tunnel solutions at Stonehenge were being assessed. The initial assessment was carried out by independent cosultants Halcrow, on the Highways Agency's instruction in 1994, ahead of English Heritage's International Conference in August 1994. In 1995, this was further checked and assessed by two separate independent consultants, Halcrow acting for the Highways Agency and Mott MacDonald acting for English Heritage, ahead of the Planning Conference.
Agreement was reached that the estimated cost for twin bored tunnels over 4km long was in the order of £300 million inclusive of construction, design, servicing, survey work and allowing for the preliminary stage of assessment.
§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Highways Agency has undertaken to construct a flyover for the A.303 at Countess Roundabout in advance of the opening of a commercially-operated Visitors' Centre for the Stonehenge World Heritage Site at Countess East, Amesbury, and, if so, who would pay for it. [HL4460]
§ Lord WhittyThe Highways Agency announced the Preferred Route for the A.303 Stonehenge scheme in June 1999 and confirmed that this would include improvement works at Countess Roundabout. It is too early to say the precise form that the improvement will take. Further detailed assessment is continuing. The aim is that any improvement would be carried out prior to the opening of the new Visitors' Centre.
The cost of the improvement would be split between DETR (the Highways Agency) and heritage sources.