Long-awaited Shrewsbury North West Relief Road business case published

The key document, which details the case for building the road, was surprisingly published around an hour into the full meeting of Shropshire Council.

The publication has been repeatedly delayed in recent months.

The 290 document needs to go before the full council for a vote to approve the plan - but that vote cannot now take place until after May's elections.

If approved it will be sent to government to ask for the money still needed to build the road - up to £150m.

Along with the document, which appeared on the council's website this morning, it has published what it says is the "powerful case for building the NWRR despite the rise in costs of delivery due to inflation". 

The council says the project will lead to 'shorter journey times', 'reduced congestion in Shrewsbury and surrounding villages', reduced congestion on the town’s bypass and smaller rural roads', as well as 'attracting new investment and growing Shropshire’s economy'.

It says the document outlines how journey times will be reduced, stating: "When considering the overall impact on journey times across all roads across the entire day, the average single journey time across roads in the northern Shrewsbury area would be reduced by 17 minutes.

"This means that a typical return journey along the same route in each direction would be an average of 34 minutes less than it is currently.

"This is a massive saving per day, with the potential to substantially improve the quality of life for many people in Shropshire, benefiting those travelling by car, while increasing productivity."

In a statement accompanying the publication of the business case, Councillor Lezley Picton, Leader of Shropshire Council said: "The draft FBC makes the very strong case to the UK Government for support and investment in the NWRR.

"We have already invested £38 million of Government money to get to this stage.

"To fail to take the road forward now would see this investment wasted for no benefit.

"All other alternative options have been assessed. Numerous smaller schemes would cost more money and condemn local people to many more years of high congestion and frustration as they are built over time. All for less benefit than the NWRR provides. We need to grasp this opportunity and deliver the NWRR now. 

“The Prime Minister recently commented that ‘…for too long the NIMBYs and naysayers have been able to clog up our system so things can’t get built.’ Stopping this scheme would be to stop progress; to stop the schemes that we need to grow our economy, create prosperity and properly fund our schools, hospitals and social care.  

“We agree with the Prime Minister. We’ve seen how hard it is to get on and deliver a vital scheme in the face of organised opposition first-hand, even after a proper process. But we remain determined to succeed. We are ready to go, to get on and deliver.  

“The council’s concern is to do what is best for local people. To grow our economy, create opportunity, and improve the lives of local people. When most ordinary people I meet talk to me about the NWRR, they tell me we should get on and deliver it. That’s exactly what I intend to do. I look forward to Council using this FBC to make the positive case we have to Government to secure the scheme’s future and to get spades in the ground as soon as possible.”

The full business case can be found on the council website.