A303 news

Following his pledge to those affected by the proposed A303 dualling options, David Warburton MP met with Highways England last week to make sure the voices of local residents were heard.
Having asked local people to provide him with points of concern about each route option, David put these points to Highways England. Although the official consultation period has closed, Highways said that they will continue to accept feedback and information relating to the proposals and have therefore now agreed to come to a public meeting in West Camel hosted by David.
This commitment from Highways England was made in order that local residents, many of whom believe that points have been overlooked, have the opportunity to voice their concerns directly.
David met Highways England project lead Andrew Alcorn and project managers David Stock and Tom Roberts, setting out concerns about environmental, biodiversity and flood risks, landscape impacts, traffic and routing both during construction and on completion, and the impact of the proposed routes on local businesses and the social life of villages.
David explained, "The two proposed options for dualling the A303 in this area has been one of the biggest issues in my constituency and I've been contacted by literally hundreds of extremely concerned local people.
"Over the past weeks I've met with local farmers, land owners, business owners and residents to hear their many concerns. In March I joined a public meeting in West Camel to gather further views from more than 100 locals.
"The over-riding concern is that the wide-ranging impact of both options must be taken fully into account. I'm pleased that Highways England agree with me that the best way forward is for them to engage directly with the local community at a public meeting where everyone can have their say
"Although the official consultation is closed, Highways England certainly have not closed their minds and are keen to assimilate as much information as possible over the coming weeks and months. I want to help with that process."
The public meeting with Highways England is expected to take place in the next few weeks and will be advertised widely.