Councillor calls for North West Relief Road construction to be speeded up

Nick Bardsley, Councillor for Ruyton and Baschurch Division, is calling on Shropshire Council to do all it can to bring forward the construction of the North West Relief Road around Shrewsbury.

In a Motion to Shropshire Council today, Cllr Bardsley will set out his view that the new relief road will not only provide a much needed stimulus for the economic development of Shropshire as a whole, but will also relieve Shrewsbury and rural communities north of the town of the problem of through traffic.

Cllr Nick Bardsley said: “It is good to note that the first steps towards the construction of the North West Relief Road have been taken with the award of nearly £1million towards developing the business case for the new road and the publication of firm plans for the Oxon Link Road where work is due to start in 2019.

“Once completed the North West Relief Road and Oxon Link Road will provide a strategic road link from the Churncote roundabout on the A5 to Battlefield bypassing the town centre completely.

“I congratulate Council Portfolio Holders and Officers on their recent success in developing plans for the new roads, and I would urge that, working with the Local Enterprise Partnership, local MPs and Ministers, every effort should now be made to bring forward the construction of the North West Relief Road.

“As well as providing a welcome stimulus for the economic development of Shropshire as a whole, the new road will relieve Shrewsbury and the villages in rural communities north of the town of through traffic which currently causes so much congestion, pollution and danger to school children and other local residents.”

Cllr Bardsley added that he is looking forward to hearing reports of progress on this issue in the coming months.