Auditors share damning criticisms of North West Relief Road scheme - and reveal true cost of controversial saga

The handling of the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (NWRR) project has been examined by auditors from Grant Thornton, after complaints from Liberal Democrat opposition councillor, David Vasmer.

The controversial project, which would effectively complete a ring road around Shrewsbury, was given planning permission last year, but has been blighted by delays, opposition, and uncertainty over how much it will cost - or how it will be paid for.

Now the auditors have delivered their verdict, with a host of criticisms for the way the project has been handled.

Central to the concerns are worries that the council does not have an adequate plan for financing the project - saying it is relying on government money and that "it is understood that borrowing is not considered to be a viable option by the council at this stage".

It says that the council is now considering using its £136m allocation from the Department for Transport's Local Transport Fund (LTF) to pay for the project if the government does not provide the money to meet the current shortfall.

The report reveals the road is now estimated to cost £178m, more than double the £81m originally expected.

It means the council is currently £91m short of the money needed to complete the road.

But the report says that the council can only have come up with the plan to use LTF money since March, when the funding was confirmed by the DfT, and adds: "Before this date it is unclear what credible funding options the council had to address this funding gap."