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In 1995 it was proposed to build a tunnel for the A303 underneath the World Heritage Site.<ref name="enquirybegins">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wiltshire/3493649.stm |title=Stonehenge tunnel inquiry opens |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2004-02-17 |accessdate=2007-04-08}}</ref> A conference agreed on a 2.5-mile (4 km) [[tunnel|bored tunnel]], however the [[United Kingdom government|government]] instead proposed a [[cut and cover]] tunnel, with plans being published in 1999.<ref name="enquirybegins" /> These plans were criticised by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]], [[Campaign for Better Transport (United Kingdom)|Transport 2000]] and others who expressed concern that it would cause damage to archaeological remains along the route, destroy ancient sites and not achieve an improvement in the landscape.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/1606053.stm |title=Stonehenge road plans 'may damage site' |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2001-10-18 |accessdate=2007-04-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2299033.stm |title=Trust attacks Stonehenge tunnel |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2002-10-04 |accessdate=2007-04-08}}</ref>
In 2002, new plans for a bored tunnel of 1.3 miles (2.1 km) were announced by the [[Secretary of State for Transport]] as part of a 7.7 mile (12.5 km) plan to upgrade the A303 to dual carriageway status, with the tunnel estimated to cost [[£]]183m.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2562675.stm |title=Stonehenge tunnel approved |work=BBC News |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=2002-12-10 |accessdate=2007-04-08}}</ref> This proposal brought further protests from the National Trust, [[English Heritage]], [[UNESCO]], [[Campaign to Protect Rural England|CPRE]], the [[Council for British Archaeology]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.britarch.ac.uk/stonehenge/Stonehenge%20roads%20inquiry%20final%20proof.doc |title=Proof of Evidence of George Lambrick MA FSA MIFA |publisher=Council for British Archaeology |format=DOC |date=2004-01-?? |accessdate=2007-04-08}}</ref> and local groups as the tunnel approach cutting would cut in two a prehistoric track way between Stonehenge and a nearby river. These groups are calling for a tunnel at least 2.9 km long, which would, while being sited within the world heritage site, clear most of the known major artefacts, claiming that if the government goes ahead with the 2.1 km tunnel there may never be another chance to remove the road from the site completely.<ref>{{cite press release| title = Maximising benefits – A more sustainable tunnel solution at Stonehenge |publisher=The National Trust | date = 3 October 200 |url=http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/webpack/bin/webpack.exe/livebase?object=LiveBase1&itemurn=1247&mode=wbFullItem |accessdate=2007-05-17}}</ref>
In 2004 a [[public enquiry]] required under the [[Highways Act 1980]] was conducted by a planning inspector, Michael Ellison. His enquiry agreed that the government proposals were adequate.<ref name="report"/> The report stated:
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