Council questioned over additional bypass funding

15 hours ago

Gavin McEwanLocal Democracy Reporting Service

News image — A draft budget has seen £5m added to the funding for Hereford's new bypass plans

Herefordshire Council An artist's impression of part of the route over the the River Wye to the west of the city. There is countryside below a long, flat bridge design. — A draft budget has seen £5m added to the funding for Hereford's new bypass plans

Herefordshire Council has been questioned by residents over plans to spend an additional £5m for the first phase of the Hereford bypass.

The authority's draft budget, due to pass its first hurdle at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, shows the extra funding could be added to the £40.3m already committed to the project.

Transport campaigner Liz Morawiecka asked what the impact of the road's increased cost could be, while "eco-socialist" Haydn Osborne-Brookes questioned whether there were "better value" uses for the funding.

Councillor Philip Price said the increase would only have an "annual impact of £400,000" on the council's revenue budget from 2028-29.

It comes after the revelation last week that council tax would rise by 5% across the county, with residents warned of a £30m funding gap.

The first phase of the bypass would link the A49 and A465 south of Hereford, with a longer second phase connecting this to the A49 north of the city.

Herefordshire Council A map showing two dotted lines around the western edge of Hereford. A blue line from the south to south-west indicates the Southern Link Road, or phase 1, while a longer green line links this to the A49 north of the city. This is phase 2. — The first phase of the bypass was originally known as the Southern Link Road

Osborne-Brookes asked whether the scheme was "better value for county taxpayers than reopening stations such as Pontrilas, improving bus services and safe active travel".

In response, Price said the bypass would "unlock opportunities to integrate transport connections".

He also said officers were "working on commissioning a rail study looking at potential stations across Herefordshire".

Karen Ennis, from Ledbury, asked to see the council's data showing that traffic in the city centre would reduce as a result of phase one.

Price said "initial modelling… does not indicate increased traffic in the city centre", and that it would reduce "on portions of Belmont Road, Walnut Tree Avenue and Holme Lacy Road".

Carole Protherough, from Clehonger, asked why there was no entry for contributions to the road's cost from the developers who would benefit.

The new housing enabled by the road, to the southwest of the city, is "not known at this point and can't be estimated or accounted for in the current budget setting", Price replied.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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