Two sides in Shrewsbury relief road row line up for battle as crunch time approaches for project

Even though the council is teetering on the brink of running out of money in its budget for day to day services its leader says the relief road won't affect that.

Campaigners say the council has told them that it intends to issue its planning decision letter on the North West Relief Road (NWRR) in Shrewsbury in early December, triggering the possibility of a legal challenge.

Mike Streetly from campaign group Better Shrewsbury Transport said: “Just how reckless can Shropshire Council be?

“By racing the NWRR decision letter through without full government funding in place or planning conditions being satisfied, they risk being stuck with a £100m-plus bill for this white elephant road at a time when council services are being cut to the bone.

“The NWRR is going to drag the whole of Shropshire into bankruptcy and create yet more misery for residents. The human impact – from slashed SEND services to library cuts to unfilled potholes – is huge.

“It’s not even clear that the council has the cash reserves to pay lawyers to defend the project against a Judicial Review. We’re already paying for our green bins to be emptied, what else will the council need to charge residents for to pay this project’s legal bill?’

The council is expected to vote on a Full Business Case on the road in December, even though complex planning conditions have yet to be satisfied.

Campaigners are set on going to judicial review on the project with two challenges champing at the bit.

Mr Streetly said: ‘Our legal counsel tells us there is a very strong case for a judicial review and we are motivated to take it all the way.

“Anyone who remembers the millions this council overpaid for the shopping centres in Shrewsbury should be very concerned. With local elections coming in May, residents across the county from Bishop’s Castle to Whitchurch need to ask their councillors why this road has become a money pit.”

But Councillor Lezley Picton, the leader of the council said capital payments for the project will have no impact on council budgets for day to day services.

Councillor Picton said: “It is deeply irresponsible and simply untrue to suggest that following the appropriate planning process for the North West Relief Road could lead to bankruptcy for the council.

“The planning process is completely separate from confirming the project funding, and then the commitment to proceed.

“As a responsible developer, we are currently working to comply with a number of conditions set out in the planning permission.

“This is normal, budgeted for, and has no impact on council budgets for services.”

She added that money in the capital budget for the road is ring-fenced and kept separate from other capital projects.

“We are working up our Full Business Case for the project, which will be submitted to government to secure confirmation of funding,” she added.

“The Full Business Case will come to a meeting of full council shortly.

“The project will only proceed once final funding for the project is confirmed and this will be set out transparently for everyone to see.

“What we are clear about is that the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road is a crucial development for our community and its benefits will be felt across Shropshire.”

Councillor Picton insisted that the relief road will “finally complete the missing link in Shrewsbury’s outer ring road to link the northern and western parts of Shrewsbury.

“It will address the traffic congestion that is blighting many local communities while saving those travelling through or across Shrewsbury 14 minutes on average journey times and far longer at peak times.

“This will unlock new jobs and housing, improve public transport and our plans to deliver sustainable travel options. It will also reduce journey times to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and emergency service response times, and it will improve air quality. These are direct benefits for the people of Shropshire that no other available option can provide.”