Modern History

In recent years, Stonehenge was influenced by the proximity of a busy main A303 between Amesbury and Winterbourne Stoke. There have been repeated several proposals to relocate the street or tunnel Stonehenge, but these were rejected as too expensive or too destructive. In spring 2003, the Department for Transport announced that the A, to be built 303, including the construction of a tunnel at Stonehenge to channel visitor flows. The plans are controversial and the government has not yet accepted them.

Because the authorities fear a deterioration of the stones from the many visitors, is the construction of Stonehenge after repeated vandalism is now fenced off and heavily guarded. The stones themselves are no longer accessible to the public - visitors must be content to look at it from an appropriate distance. The current situation is felt by some English as a national disgrace. Due to the never-ending onslaught of tourists is only willing to rounding in the line of visitors. A dwelling to its senses on this memorable place is hardly possible.

It was also announced to open in 2006, a new Visitor Center. In 2005, the plans for financial reasons, were first postponed until further notice. In 2009, the British government announced a 25-million-pound plan to create a new visitors' center, it should be its funding through private and public sources. The precise funding, the building permit and the planned operation was still not provided any information.