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I have driven past this stretch of road a hundred times, and it’s painful. 15-20mph for a good 10 mile stretch all because of people “rubber necking” to see the

I have driven past this stretch of road a hundred times, and it’s painful. 15-20mph for a good 10 mile stretch all because of people “rubber necking” to see the henge. As soon as you’re past it, instantly back up to 60mph. But you know what would sort it… a hedge. A simple hedge. Stick something in the way of the drivers seeing the thing from the road, and you’ve cured the problem. Why it is insisted that a multi-million (probably billion as costs will overrun) pound highway tunnel project is required, I have no idea. Just plant a bloody hedge!

zimpenfish 5y ago
> Why it is insisted that a multi-million (probably billion as costs will overrun) pound highway tunnel project is required [...] Just plant a bloody hedge! At the risk of sounding cynical about the current state of UKGOV, you can't really bung your mates a hedge planting contract and expect to get something in return later.
- FerretFred 5y ago
  Came here to say this.
shatnersbassoon 5y ago
The hedge would have to be absolutely massive to hide the henge when you are heading West. The way the road dips down before you get to it means that you would easily see it over any normal size hedge. Even if the it's a fleeting glimpse, it doesn't solve the problem as people will still rubber neck. If anything it will make it worse. And seeing the controversy is due to the fact that it's the whole landscape that is historic, arguing that you should put a massive a-historic hedge straight across it undermines the main argument against the other proposals. Do you really think that the planners haven't thought of a hedge and discarded the idea?
- BoxOfRain 5y ago
  >Do you really think that the planners haven't thought of a hedge and discarded the idea? I know this is a bit trite but it wouldn't surprise me given the UK government's record in this area, questionable transport policy is as British as complaining about the weather.
- londons_explore 5y ago
  I wonder what would happen if you were to say walk along the roadside with a rucksack full of fast growing pine tree seeds which unfortunately had a small leak, letting all the pine seeds fall onto the verge? 10 years later, problem solved. And the tunnel is probably still being argued about in court.
  - adrianN 5y ago
    If someone were to take trips with leaky rucksacks in that area, I would recommend loading up a variety of native tree species such as those species listed by the woodland trust.
- DonHopkins 5y ago
  How about an absolutely massive hedge in the shape of Stonehenge, called Stonehedge, right next to the road, so everyone can see it easily?
  - dboreham 5y ago
    Classic.
  - ourcat 5y ago
    There is a 'Woodhenge' nearby ;)
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  Split the difference, dig a trench/valley to put the highway in. Bonus points for the noise reduction vs a hedge/fence.
adav 5y ago
If I recall the drive correctly that could work quite well in the towards London direction, but there's both a difference in elevation and two lanes merging into one the other way.
Angostura 5y ago
The main issue isn't the rubbernecking. It's that a largely dual carriageway A303 is reduced to single carriageway at this point. Similar jams occur frequently at other points along the road where this happens.
- iamphilrae 5y ago
  True, but the other direction is simply the rubber necking as it’s single lane on the approach. Plus in the direction you are stating, there’s a clear backlog from directly next to the henge - 20mph traffic until the instant people are past where it heads straight back to 60mph. A hedge can only but help that situation.
BuildTheRobots 5y ago
Whilst it must be annoying if you're a local, I'd suggest that slowing down and rubber necking is exactly the correct response to have when passing something as classically awesome as the henge. What would solve the problem easily (rather than trying to hide it with a hedge), would be to do as they do up in Scotland in the national parks: Provide plenty of parking places anywhere the henge is in view. I drove through Galloway National Park a few weeks ago and every 200 yards the scenery changes to another amazing view and every 200 yards or so, there's somehwre you can safely stop and enjoy it. People can now safely stop to have a look and take photos, and traffic on the road can drive. If people are amazed enough at a piece of national heritage that they want to admire it, hiding it from view seems like entirely the wrong response.
- celticninja 5y ago
  If you do that then they can't charge you to view it
Reason077 5y ago
> "Stick something in the way of the drivers seeing the thing from the road, and you’ve cured the problem." Rubbernecking is not the only problem. The existing A303 road splits the Stonehenge landscape in half. The whole ambiance of Stonehenge is kind of ruined by the roar of the trunk road running right next to it.
Reason077 5y ago
> "15-20mph for a good 10 mile stretch all because of people “rubber necking” to see the henge. As soon as you’re past it, instantly back up to 60mph." This might also be due to the fact that the largely dual-carriageway A303 narrows and becomes a single-lane road through the Stonehenge site.

zimpenfish 5y ago

> Why it is insisted that a multi-million (probably billion as costs will overrun) pound highway tunnel project is required [...] Just plant a bloody hedge! At the risk of sounding cynical about the current state of UKGOV, you can't really bung your mates a hedge planting contract and expect to get something in return later.

FerretFred 5y ago
Came here to say this.

shatnersbassoon 5y ago

The hedge would have to be absolutely massive to hide the henge when you are heading West. The way the road dips down before you get to it means that you would easily see it over any normal size hedge. Even if the it's a fleeting glimpse, it doesn't solve the problem as people will still rubber neck. If anything it will make it worse. And seeing the controversy is due to the fact that it's the whole landscape that is historic, arguing that you should put a massive a-historic hedge straight across it undermines the main argument against the other proposals. Do you really think that the planners haven't thought of a hedge and discarded the idea?

BoxOfRain 5y ago
>Do you really think that the planners haven't thought of a hedge and discarded the idea? I know this is a bit trite but it wouldn't surprise me given the UK government's record in this area, questionable transport policy is as British as complaining about the weather.
londons_explore 5y ago
I wonder what would happen if you were to say walk along the roadside with a rucksack full of fast growing pine tree seeds which unfortunately had a small leak, letting all the pine seeds fall onto the verge? 10 years later, problem solved. And the tunnel is probably still being argued about in court.
- adrianN 5y ago
  If someone were to take trips with leaky rucksacks in that area, I would recommend loading up a variety of native tree species such as those species listed by the woodland trust.
DonHopkins 5y ago
How about an absolutely massive hedge in the shape of Stonehenge, called Stonehedge, right next to the road, so everyone can see it easily?
- dboreham 5y ago
  Classic.
- ourcat 5y ago
  There is a 'Woodhenge' nearby ;)
throwaway0a5e 5y ago
Split the difference, dig a trench/valley to put the highway in. Bonus points for the noise reduction vs a hedge/fence.

adav 5y ago

If I recall the drive correctly that could work quite well in the towards London direction, but there's both a difference in elevation and two lanes merging into one the other way.

Angostura 5y ago

The main issue isn't the rubbernecking. It's that a largely dual carriageway A303 is reduced to single carriageway at this point. Similar jams occur frequently at other points along the road where this happens.

iamphilrae 5y ago
True, but the other direction is simply the rubber necking as it’s single lane on the approach. Plus in the direction you are stating, there’s a clear backlog from directly next to the henge - 20mph traffic until the instant people are past where it heads straight back to 60mph. A hedge can only but help that situation.

BuildTheRobots 5y ago

Whilst it must be annoying if you're a local, I'd suggest that slowing down and rubber necking is exactly the correct response to have when passing something as classically awesome as the henge. What would solve the problem easily (rather than trying to hide it with a hedge), would be to do as they do up in Scotland in the national parks: Provide plenty of parking places anywhere the henge is in view. I drove through Galloway National Park a few weeks ago and every 200 yards the scenery changes to another amazing view and every 200 yards or so, there's somehwre you can safely stop and enjoy it. People can now safely stop to have a look and take photos, and traffic on the road can drive. If people are amazed enough at a piece of national heritage that they want to admire it, hiding it from view seems like entirely the wrong response.

celticninja 5y ago
If you do that then they can't charge you to view it

Reason077 5y ago

> "Stick something in the way of the drivers seeing the thing from the road, and you’ve cured the problem." Rubbernecking is not the only problem. The existing A303 road splits the Stonehenge landscape in half. The whole ambiance of Stonehenge is kind of ruined by the roar of the trunk road running right next to it.

Reason077 5y ago

> "15-20mph for a good 10 mile stretch all because of people “rubber necking” to see the henge. As soon as you’re past it, instantly back up to 60mph." This might also be due to the fact that the largely dual-carriageway A303 narrows and becomes a single-lane road through the Stonehenge site.