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Culture, Media and Sport Minister, Margaret Hodge, at Stonehenge. DB2760P2

MARGARET Hodge, Minister of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has promised to "sort out" road problems at Stonehenge as a matter of priority.

She made her comments after a visit to the Wiltshire landmark last week to re-affirm the government's position on the proposed improvements to the World Heritage Site and its transport links.

The visit, which included a tour of the site conducted by the chairman of English Heritage, Sandy Bruce-Lockhart, was seen as a chance for local politicians to present their case about the future of Stonehenge.

Salisbury MP, Robert Key, a former Minister for Roads and Traffic, said: "It is good to see a government minister come and see for herself some of the problems associated with this site, as it shows this issue is being discussed at a national level.

Leader of Salisbury District Council, Paul Sample, added: "I was delighted to meet the minister and present the council's cross-party view on this matter.

"The future of Stonehenge is vital to our local economy and I am confident the issue is now back on the agenda for the government, and that the minister understands the need to safeguard the stones and unlock the A303 gridlock."

At the end of her tour, Mrs Hodge said: "The purpose of this visit was to see the area under discussion and get a feel for what people here want to do with this site.

"It is clear the current situation is completely intolerable for all concerned and something needs to be done to ease the traffic burden on this area yet, at the same time, maintain Stonehenge's presence as a national monument.

"I find it disturbing the issue of transport links to the site has been under discussion for more than twenty years, and I would like to state that sorting this problem out is very high on my list of priorities."

11:50am Thursday 13th September 2007

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