Campaigners against Shrewsbury's North West Relief Road to host virtual public meeting

Campaigners against the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road are this evening holding a virtual public meeting.

Shrewsbury Green Party is hosting the online meeting at 7.30pm, they say if given the go-ahead is likely to prove ruinous for Shropshire both financially and environmentally.

A planning application for the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road was last week submitted by Shropshire Council. If approved, a new, single carriageway road would link the northern and western parts of Shrewsbury, with new bridges over the River Severn and its flood plain and the Shrewsbury-Chester railway line.

Tonight's meeting is being hosted by veteran sustainable transport campaigner and Green Party member Emma Bullard.

Emma said: “This road is destined to be a total disaster for Shropshire. It will not solve Shrewsbury’s congestion problems and will actually lead to more traffic. Building it will generate tens of thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions and destroy wildlife habitats, as well as seriously threatening Shrewsbury’s drinking water. This goes completely against the Climate Emergency that Shropshire declared.

“Most of all, though, the road will ruin Shropshire financially. Shropshire Council is in dire financial difficulties due to the pandemic and buying overpriced shopping centres. But our council leaders have committed us to paying £28.5 million for the road as well as all of any overspend.”

The talk will discuss why the campaigners think the North West Road will fail to address Shrewsbury’s traffic problems, as well as looking at better alternatives, such as those put forward in the Shrewsbury Big Town Plan.

To book a free ticket for the meeting see https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-the-north-west-road-will-ruin-shrewsbury-tickets-141806895241"