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Jul 18, 2023

Hereford western bypass back on the table following local election results

A cancelled bypass around the city of Hereford could be back on the agenda following this month’s local elections, which saw Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both gaining seats. The parties believe

A cancelled bypass around the city of Hereford could be back on the agenda following this month’s local elections, which saw Conservatives and Liberal Democrats both gaining seats.

The parties believe that they won their seats because they had voiced support for the bypass scheme, which had been scrapped by the former Green – Independent coalition in February 2021 following a review by Mott MacDonald. That decision caused consternation among Hereford residents who feel that the city is too congested.

The scheme, developed by Balfour Beatty and WSP, would see an 8km road leaving the A49, travelling around west of the city before rejoining the A49. It would cut through agricultural land and cross the River Wye. It was to be packaged with cycling, walking, bus and public space improvements in the city.

It was estimated to cost £190M in Herefordshire Council’s 2020 Transport Strategy Review. The proposal documents said it would support 6,500 new homes, 6,000 jobs, a new university and expansion of the Hereford Enterprise Zone. It would also improve connections to Wales and the Midlands, taking many vehicles, including HGVs, out of the city centre.

The Rotherwas Access Road, which opened in 2008 on the south east side of the city, was considered the first part of the bypass. The next part of the bypass, known as the Southern Link Road between the A49 and the A465 at the south west of the city, was due to commence in spring 2019, but £27M of council funding was pulled and the project put on pause until it was scrapped entirely in 2021.

There is no majority party in Herefordshire Council following the elections at the start of May, with the Conservatives now holding 21 seats and Lib Dems holding 12 seats out of a total of 52. Decisions on the bypass will therefore be made once negotiations have settled over the formation of a coalition, but counsellors from both parties have already expressed support for the scheme.

The news has not been positively received by Green Party members, who have nine seats in the council, nor from environmental campaigners.

Transport Action Network director Chris Todd said: “We need to start having serious and honest conversations about new roads and their impacts. We’ve currently got the government's bonkers plan to build loads more roads when its own evidence is showing that congestion will actually get worse as a result. It just doesn't make sense.

“It’s understandable people feel there are no other options when the government is busy undermining bus and rail services and taking away investment in walking and cycling. However, we just cannot afford to follow this path, defaulting back to road building, if we want a better future and a habitable climate. We need to follow Wales' example and start putting future generations and their wellbeing first.”

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