Stonehenge Visitors Centre Funding Withdrawn

The decision by the government to withdraw its share of the funding for the new visitors' centre at Stonehenge gives an opportunity to look again at the way the monument and its surroundings are managed, according to Wiltshire Liberal Democrats.

Local councillor Ian West voted against the centre when it was granted planning permission by Wiltshire Council in January. "I believe the government decision was right," he said. "The current scheme was a quick fix for the 2012 Olympics, but locals would have to suffer for a life-time because the lack of infrastructure - it would have put too much pressure on the local system. Stonehenge is a World Heritage Site and it should be treated with respect, even if this means waiting until we're able to do the job properly.

Liberal Democrat group leader Jon Hubbard agreed. "The current arrangements constitute a national disgrace," he said. "The withdrawal of the government's share of the finance gives us the opportunity to find a realistic solution which helps tourists without disadvantaging people who live and work in the area. It's just unfortunate that it's taking the modern British Government longer to resolve this problem than it took the ancient Britons to build the monument in the first place."