As another (albeit long retired) engineer, I have to say that David Bullock’s exposition of the planned A303 tunnel works increases my unease over the latest iteration of this decades-long project.
He says that the tunnel will be up to 40 metres (131 feet) underground; but chalk is permeable - who would want to drive (dive?) down that deep and for 2 miles?
People might even divert on to minor roads to avoid it.
Frank Conway’s excellent exposé of the additional detail needed raises concerns yet further with regard to the upfront and lifetime costs of fitting out, operating and maintaining the tunnel.
Tolls in the future? (cf. Blackwall Tunnel.)
The tunnel seems to be Wiltshire’s HS2: hideously expensive and unnecessarily complex for its essential function - and it can’t even be shortened part-way through to deal with the inevitable cost overruns.
Surely it would be possible to “reunite the World Heritage Site landscape” (unseen in living memory) by a six-metre deep cutting, landscaped to minimise noise, at a fraction of the cost and risk, obviating the need for much of the ancillaries that Frank Conway identifies.
Philip Corp
Devonshire Road, Salisbury
Send letters by email to newsdesk@salisburyjournal.co.uk or by post to Editor, Salisbury Journal, Suite B (Ground Floor), Milford House, Milford Street, Salisbury, SP1 2BP.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel
You must verify your phone number before you can comment.
Please enter your phone number below, and a verification code will be sent to you by text message.
Please enter the six-digit verification code sent to you by SMS.
Your verification code has been sent a second time to the mobile phone number you provided.
Your verification code has been sent a third time to the mobile phone number you provided.
You have requested your verification code too many times. Please try again later.
Didn’t receive a code? Send it againThe code you entered has not been recognised.
Please try again
You have failed to enter a correct code after three attempts.
Please try again later.
Your phone number has been verified.
Your phone number has been stored with your account details. We will never use it for anything other than verifying that you are the legitimate owner of this account.