Letter calls for archaeologists to unite over Stonehenge tunnel

Stonehenge is one of 33 World Heritage Status sites in the UK

Some 733 archaeologists have signed an open letter that urges the heritage sector to unite and take its "rightful lead" in the Stonehenge tunnel debate.

The Department for Transport approved the £1.7bn two-mile (3.2km) tunnel from Amesbury to Berwick Down, in July.

There is the risk the monument will be de-listed as a Unesco world heritage site, if plans for the tunnel go ahead.

National Highways says its plan for the tunnel will remove the sight and sound of traffic and cut journey times.

However, archaeologists have been "overwhelmingly absent" from the debate and need to come together, the letter says.

'Politicised and polarised'

It is signed by leading archaeologists, including TV academic Prof Alice Roberts, TV presenter and archaeologist Raksha Dave, archaeogeneticist and broadcaster Turi King and editor of British Archaeology magazine, Mike Pitts.

It says archaeologists and heritage specialists "who are best-informed on the subject" have been "unable to comment" because of professional obligations.

It adds many major organisations representing UK archaeology have "distanced themselves from the heart of this politicised and polarised debate".

Highways England said the tunnel would reduce A303 traffic and cut journey times

"With many archaeologists and representative bodies remaining mute and public feeling running high, the narrative is skewed towards fringe voices," the letter states.

And it concludes a "powerful, evidence based, voice re-framing the Stonehenge debate" is urgently needed and the heritage sector "can all be that voice".

The plans for the road tunnel were approved in July, after legal action was taken by campaigners in 2021

The tunnel project received government approval in 2020, before being quashed following a successful campaign at the High Court in 2021.

The government has argued the need for the scheme and its benefits "outweighed the harms", including the "less than substantial harm to heritage assets".

But campaigners are making a second High Court bid to try to block the scheme.

They say the government is "irrational" not to take heed of Unesco's warning the ancient monument could be put on its list of heritage sites "in danger".