In fact, excavation of the tunnel and cuttings would produce hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of chalk spoil. There would still be the sound of traffic at Stonehenge. English Heritage's Master Plan illustrations fail to show the road needed to take service vehicles down to the henge. They also omit the new landscaping in Stonehenge Bottom and the road needed above ground for agricultural and other A303 traffic that cannot use the tunnels. Road works would damage or destroy 16 known ancient sites, including the long barrow nearest to the stones.
Further sites are likely to be revealed and then destroyed during construction work.
The henge's original Avenue approach would be severed by the cutting for the eastern tunnel portals, preventing its restoration. Local people welcomed the A303 scheme as it includes a bypass for the village of Winterbourne Stoke, not far west of the World Heritage Site. They also hoped that traffic flow would be eased. The greatest disgrace is the wrong solution. Cut and cover is a barbaric method.