This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'List, notes and minutes of meetings held with Highways England and/or others in relation to Stonehenge A303 road scheme'.






 
 
 
 
 

Minutes 
A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down
 
 

Title: 
 
 
Holiday Inn, 
10:00 – 
Date: 
 
13 July 2016 
Time: 
Location:  Amesbury 
14:00 
SP4 7SQ 
Arup Atkins Joint Venture – AAJV 
Environmental Agency – EA 
Highways England – HE 
Abbreviations   
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service – DWFire  
Wiltshire Police -Neighbourhood Policing Team Amesbury/Tidworth – WP  
South West Ambulance Service - SWASFT 
Allan Creedy (Wiltshire Council)  
Gus Cuthbert (DWFire) 
Joanne Heal (Wiltshire Council) 
David Tippetts (WP) 
Andrew Alcorn (HE) 
Peter Woodburn (AAJV) 
Tony Aloysius (HE) 
David Stening (AAJV) 
Attendees: 
 
Mark Arberry (HE) 
Kevin Roberts (AAJV) 
Katherine Burt (EA) 
ohammad Tabarra (AAJV) 
Andy Bremford (EA) 
G ry Clark (AAJV) 
Giles Bryan (EA) 
Keit  Meeks (AAJV) 
 
He-in 
ng (AAJV) 
Clare Langshaw (SWASFT)  
Wayne Darch (SWASFT)  
Apologies: 
 
John Aldridge (DWFire) 
In pector Sparrow (Wiltshire Police) 
Chair: 
 
Andrew Alcorn (HE) 
Circulation: 
 
Attendees + Apolog s 
To introduce key 
keholder   i h an interest in the future safe operation 
Meeting 
 
of the 
  unnel t  the outline of the scheme; for discussion with the 
objective(s): 
pro oter (High ays En land) and their designer (Arup-Atkins JV)    
 
DISCUSSION POINTS 
DraftAction 
No. Item 
(By whom, by when) 
1.   Introductions 
 
2.   Safety 
Moment 
 
Mind your back when working in the office.  Pay special attention 
to your posture when sitting at your desk or PC; it can save you 
much pain and time in the long run. 
3.   Scheme 
overview 
 
Key dates  
 
Early 2017: Public Consultation 
 
Mid 2017: Selection of a “preferred route”  
 
Late 2017: Pre-application Consultation 
 
Mid 2018: Development Consent Order (DCO) application 
 
Mid 2019: Secretary of State decision  
 
(Land acquisitions within 3 months post-decision). 
 
Early 2020  - Construction begins 
 
2023 (approx.)– Tunnel opens 
 
 
Page 1 of  3 






 
 
 
 
 

Minutes 
A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down
 
 

 
 
- Traffic: 
 
Working assumption is ~ 40,000 vehicles/day sum of both 
AAJV 
directions. Gus Cuthbert (DWFire) recalled higher figures quoted 
 
in 2002/03. Traffic studies show a decline in vehicle numbers. 
 
Traffic forecast models are currently being re-evaluated. 
 
Performance target for tunnel is achieve “Expressway” standard 
of service with equivalent level of safety.  
 
- BD 
78: 
 
Current UK standard is BD78/99 (1999). Tony Aloysius (HE) 
 
recommended considering the revised edition BD78/15 (2015). 
 
This is still in DRAFT format, date of publishing still uncertain.  
 
Highways England to share the draft with the TDSCG. 
HE 
4.    TDSCG Terms of Reference 
 
 
 
Reference to contra-flow to be removed from  e mis i
 
 
statement as the requirement for contra-flow op
tion du

 
maintenance is still to be determined. 
AAJV 
TDSCG input will be required from design stage throu h 
 
construction phase and early stages of o erati
 ToR 
l reflect 
this. 
 
TDSCG role was clarified as undert king re ew and advice 
 
outside the formal approvals proc ss.  
 
Minutes of meetings and decision  of TDSCG will be in the public 
 
domain and may be  hared  ith oth  stakeholders. 
 
In the future, do
ments for TD CG Me tings will be shared with 
 
the group a we
 before the mee ng. 
 
-  Limits of interes  
 
Draft
It was agreed that wh
 the sc
e of TDSCG review is limited to 
 
the tunnel, portal to port
 a
 issues related to adjacent road 
network & junctions, specif cally arising from the presence of the 
 
tunnel, will need to be considered. 
 
 
 
Comments on the current draft of the Terms of Reference to be 
 
sent to Peter Woodburn (AAJV) by 21.07.16. 
TDSCG 
by 21.07.16 
5.    Safety considerations for the A303 tunnel option 
 
- Safety 
principles 
 
A key safety principle is that the tunnel is to operate as a self-
 
rescue facility with the tunnel being provided with systems to 
 
instigate, facilitate, and manage self-rescue. 
 
Design criteria and the approach to tunnel safety design, 
 
particularly with regards fire safety, are under development. The 
AAJV is keen to liaise with the Fire Service from an early stage to 
 
seek their input. The AAJV will instigate sub-TDSCG meeting(s) 
AAJV 
with the Fire Service for this purpose. 
 
 
 
 
Page 2 of  3 






 
 
 
 
 

Minutes 
A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down
 
 

The phosphatic chalk found at this site is quite rare - only at three 
 
sites in Europe. 
AAJV 
- CDM: 
 
AAJV is to provide a solution that is buildable in a safe manner 
 
and can be maintained safely. How the construction will be 
 
managed is still to be decided, but this will be the responsibility of 
the contractor. 
AAJV 
AAJV is looking at dewatering effect as part of the tunnelling 
 
method investigation. 
 
Environmental assessment will be issued in Autumn 2016. 
 
AAJV is looking at previous projects and learning lessons from 
 
Lower Thames Crossing, Silvertown tunnel, and Hindhead tunnel.   
 
 
Gus Cuthbert (DWFire) explained that the Fire Service sometimes   
sets up “Primary Fire Service”, to act as a centre of expertise for 
 
particular things and that this may be appropria  for 
d tunnels. 
Such a ‘Service’ may then give advice on fire  afety as   relates 
 
specifically to tunnels so that the local Services  ay draw  n that 
 
expertise. To be investigated further by DWFire an  the Proj
t  
AAJV + DWFire 
6.    Confirmation of TDSCG membership 
 
Other stakeholder organisations and ke  indivi u ls may be 
TDSCG 
invited to join the TDSCG. 
 
Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA  for Wilts ire wil  be added to 
AAJV 
TDSCG. Toria Thomas (AAJV) P ncipal De gn  for A303 
scheme will also be in
 to futur  meetings. 
Military represent
ves will be  onsult d  but will not be invited to 
join the TDSCG at this point. 
Note there is a hig er-level stake older group, the Stakeholders 
Strategy Board, con sting of Hig ways England, English 
Draft
Heritage, National Tru  and S merset & Devon.  
7.   AOB 
 
AAJV to review the need for input from recovery services. 
AAJV 
 
8.   Next 
meeting: 
 
Date TBC; Oct/Nov 2016 before Public Consultation (Jan 2017) 
AAJV 
Same location and same time. 
 
 
 
Sub-meeting between AAJV and DWFire is to be arranged before 
AAJV 
the next meeting specifically on issues of fire safety design criteria 
and approach. 
 
 
NEXT MEETING  
Date: 
 TBC 
Time:  TBC 
Location: TBC 
 
 
Page 3 of  3