ONE of the most controversial alternatives to the Stonehenge tunnel was brought before the inquiry last week.

The ACT Parker Plan suggests building 21 miles of dual carriageway south of the existing A303, through the Bourne, Woodford and Wylye Valleys, before rejoining the current road past Winterbourne Stoke.

The plan also promotes a Salisbury bypass to the east of the city, taking traffic from Old Sarum to the Southampton road.

Supporters from the Association of Council Taxpayers told inquiry inspector Michael Ellison that the plan would save money in the long term, as it tackles congestion on the A303 and Salisbury at the same time, while bypassing many villages blighted by heavy traffic.

John Ellis, opening the argument for Alternative Route Four on Wednesday last week, said: "The area north of Salisbury is one of great beauty and historical interest but its character is marred by a sadly congested road network.

"It is little short of tragic that so much money should be devoted to a plan serving one feature in the area, when the same expenditure might guarantee so much more.

"ACT has produced a proposal for an alternative scheme that will remove all roads from the World Heritage site. It will save millions of pounds of taxpayers' money and bring welcome relief to innumerable families, homes and communities.

"The scheme takes the only feasible line for such a Stonehenge bypass."

The group is highly critical of the £200m, 2.1km tunnel favoured by the government.

Mr Ellis claimed the tunnel could be dangerous following an accident, easily clogged if a vehicle broke down and a terrorist target.

He added that the published route could damage archaeological remains and cause more pollution, and provided no opportunity for future expansion.

"The published scheme is focused on the narrow A303 corridor through the World Heritage site between Amesbury and Berwick Down," he said.

"It ignores the area down to Salisbury, where traffic problems have existed for decades without coherent solutions. The bypassing of Salisbury is of prime importance for the relief of both the Wylye and Bourne valleys and the restoration of Amesbury to a peaceful and flourishing centre, free from the through-running, trunk-road traffic.

"All come close behind the Stonehenge primary aim."

Colonel Graham Parker argued that the plan would benefit the Wylye Valley - often called Death Valley - by removing traffic from the A36.

He added it would also reduce traffic chaos in Wilton and on the congested Salisbury ring road, due to the proposed bypass to the east of Laverstock.

"This would provide better safety for the children at Laverstock schools, by removing rat-running traffic, and reduce the pollution in the Salisbury city ring road.

"The road would also relieve residents of Butterfield Down, Amesbury, from having the A303/A345 bypass running through their residential estate, and provide a more cost-effective road link to the south for new businesses operating on the Solstice Park development."

To the east, the ACT route would run parallel to the A338, bypassing the Bourne Valley villages.

However, the road must first cross the River Avon at the Woodford Valley, which has alarmed residents, although Col Parker is convinced the dual carriageway could be built with minimum disruption.

"There is every possibility that a design consultant will be able to show how the road can be tucked into the local landscape," he said.

"Mindful that the Woodford Valley is 9km long and the bridge would be right at the southern end, the environmental impact would be restricted to a small area."

Despite the multi-million-pound price tag for building 21 miles of new road, Col Parker emphasised that his plan would be cost-effective.

"This is a real opportunity to ensure that scarce funds are available for other essential projects," he said.

"The funding and provision of this new scheme offers a solution for five important areas of major traffic concern within south Wiltshire.

"Almost certainly, at a date not too far in the future, there will be pressure to complete the remainder of a bypass for Salisbury,

"Several more millions might be saved, because it will have been built already.

"An exceptional problem requires an exceptional scheme."