Stonehenge road programme provides potential boom for companies

The £1.7 billion scheme to tunnel a two-mile section of the heavily-congested A303 near Stonehenge could provide a boom for Wiltshire companies.

More than 130 businesses attended a virtual Meet the Buyer event recently, and 161 business – more than half from Wiltshire – have registered on a directory of SMEs who want to get involved in the dualling scheme and tunnel project.

At the Meet the Buyer event, business owners heard from Highways England’s project team and preliminary works contractors Wessex Archaeology Ltd and Osborne Ltd, about upcoming opportunities to play a part in the scheme.

David Bullock, Highways England project manager for the A303 Stonehenge scheme, said: “We are delighted by the response so far, and we’d like to see the number of participants double again in the coming weeks to enable local and regional SMEs to gain access to business opportunities within the scheme.”

We’re working closely with many local business organisations and have also partnered with the Supply Chain Sustainability School to provide free online training to small businesses.

Robin Trevett of Salisbury and District Chamber of Commerce said: “A project such as this presents a host of opportunities for local business, something both the Salisbury and District Chamber of Commerce and Salisbury Business Improvement District fully support.

“We look forward to seeing future events as the project develops and ultimately, the opportunity for our members to play their part in this major project.”