A press release from Herefordshire Council suggests that it is the council's aim to build a western relief road for Hereford. Below are some of the main points.
Councillor Russell B Hamilton, Cabinet Member Environment Housing and Planning, said
"The relief road is only one element in a proposed package of transport measures and to set the record straight the projected cost for the relief road is at today's costs is in the region of £115 million not the £120 - £140 million being bandied around. Other improvements include better links for pedestrians and cyclists, park and ride and bus priority measures".
The Council, as you would expect began with an open mind regarding whether to construct an eastern or western route, but expert studies have clearly demonstrated that obtaining planning permission for an eastern route would not be possible due to environmental factors.
A report commissioned in 2011 to examine the economic benefits of a Hereford relief road concluded that a western route would create some 2,000 jobs for residents and bring forward key employment and housing sites around Hereford.
The western relief road, when completed will provide a second river crossing which will provide resilience given the reliance on, and importance of the current bridge as well as opening up new land for housing. This will provide the additional housing that is needed for the current shortfall, with almost 5,000 local people on the housing waiting list and also the predicted natural growth of the county up until 2031. The additional housing is needed to support economic development including thousands of new jobs at Skylon Park (The Hereford Enterprise Zone at Rotherwas). This increase in the number of houses will help to redress the demographic deficit arising from a rapidly ageing population by reducing the number of young people leaving the County and not returning, through the building of all types of housing including that which is affordable for those who wish to get on the property ladder or downsize.
The first phase construction of the western route from the A49 to the A465 will be key for accessing employment on Skylon Park and opens up a gateway to Wales. This first phase will constitute the first segment of a full western relief road. Plans for the A49 to the A465 route are at an advanced stage and a planning application will be submitted at the earliest opportunity. I am aware that this is a priority that we share with the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership who have urged us to get on and build this road and the current estimated cost is in the region of £10.7million.