AN anti-tunnel campaigner and former Mayor of Amesbury has revived calls for the A303 to be re-routed south to include a Salisbury bypass.

The idea for a bypass has been floated by Andy Rhind-Tutt as a way to "unlock Salisbury's potential".

Mr Rhind-Tutt says his proposal differs from a plan which was dismissed by the government 20 years ago after sustained protests from Woodford Valley residents - including the musician Sting. 

Currently Highways England is consulting on a plan for a 2.9km tunnel under the Stonehenge World Heritage Site.

But Mr Rhind-Tutt told a Salisbury & District Chambers 90 minutes networking lunch the tunnel would do little to ease congestion and raised concerns on where the chalk dug up during construction will be dumped.

He said questions needed to be answered on how the tunnel would be ventilated, waterproofed and fireproofed.

"Achieving the necessary gradients without a cut and cover solution the A303 would have to extend in length much nearer to Blick Mead and be raised on stilts at Countess [Roundabout]," he said.

"This would inevitably bring into question the risk of destruction of some of the world's most important archaeology.

"It is the bigger picture of south Wiltshire that needs highlighting and addressing, not just removing the view to passing public of the Stones."

Mr Rhind-Tutt has submitted a plan to Highways England which would see the A303 moved south between Chilmark and Andover creating a dual carriageway. This would allow the World Heritage Site to be turned into a National Park and ease congestion around on Salisbury's road network.

Cllr Ian West, division member for Winterbourne Stoke and Shrewton which both suffer from rat running, described Mr Rhind-Tutt as being in "cloud cuckoo land" to attempt to resurrect a form of the scrapped Parker Plan.

"I have been involved for many years and the tunnel is on the table," he said. "To do anything else would take a long time.

"Although I'm not 100 per cent tunnel it gives my residents what they want."

Cllr West said he had also resubmitted his idea for a northern bypass for Winterbourne Stoke from the last consultation in 2004.

Salisbury MP John Glen, who has publicly backed plans for a 2.9km tunnel, said: "Andy has some interesting views which I know Highways England are aware of."