A PROPOSAL to create a lorry route through the middle of the site of an ancient monument in the north Cotswolds is being considered as one way of cutting pollution in the centre of Chipping Norton. The proposed route would take HGVs between the A44 and the A3400 right through the middle of the 5,000-year-old Rollright Stones, one of the country's foremost megalithic stone circles. The proposal, which would include the widening of Cross Hands Lane through the ancient site at an estimated cost of £5 million, is one of a number of options being considered as part of an action plan to reduce traffic pollution in Chipping Norton High Street and Horsefair.

Other proposals in the plan considered by West Oxfordshire District Council cabinet members yesterday (wed), include implementation of a system of traffic controls to push queues to the edge of Chipping Norton, the removal of the A44 primary route status in favour of forcing lorries to use alternative routes between Evesham and Oxford, and measures to stop motorists leaving engines of stationary vehicles idling. A proposal to build a Chipping Norton bypass either north or south of the town, at an estimated cost of between £16.5 million and £36 million respectively, is not being put forward at this stage. Neither is a suggested one-way scheme to route traffic along Albion Street, which consultants say would cut traffic in the High Street by 25 to 35 per cent at peak times but double traffic using Albion Street.

The district council is having to look at ways of reducing traffic emissions in the centre of Chipping Norton, which currently fails to meet government targets for nitrogen dioxide levels. But one of the most controversial proposals, which is likely to be included in the list of possible options put out for public consultation early next year, is certain to be the re-routing of HGVs between the A44 and the A3400 from the Cross Hands pub to east of the Rollright Stones. Traffic consultants say this would only be feasible if the current unclassified road, which already bissects the Rollright Stones site, was widened from 5.5metres to 7.3metres. They also say that the junctions at either end of the road would probably need replacing with lit roundabouts. "The most significant impact would be on the area of the Rollright Stones, a Scheduled Ancient Monument," the district council's environment protection and enforcement manager Philip Measures said in his report to councillors.

Karin Attwood, founder of the Rollright Stones Trust, described the proposal as a "non-starter". On both sides of the road you have scheduled monuments and because of the scheduled monument status it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to obtain planning permission. I agree Chippy needs a bypass but it needs to be done at the bottom of the valley not over the ridgeway," said Ms Attwood. The Stones are considered to be a holy place by pagans, and druids celebrate the summer solstice there every year. Mr Measures said: "At the end of the day this is something that has been developed by officers. Ultimately, it is for council members to decide."