Shropshire Council set to cancel Shrewsbury North West Relief Road

The long-debated Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (NWRR) has hit a dead end. In a report set to be presented to the full Council this Thursday, 26 February, officials are recommending the immediate cancellation of the project, citing a financial black hole that has rendered the scheme "unaffordable."

The move marks the final curtain for a project that has been in limbo since June 2025, when work was paused following the Department for Transport’s (DfT) refusal to provide further funding.

A Spiralling Price Tag

The decision comes as little surprise to those tracking the project's ballooning budget. Originally estimated at £74.2m, the forecast costs have surged to a staggering £162.4m.

This 118% increase has been attributed to:

- Extensive planning delays that pushed timelines into more expensive fiscal years.

- Global construction cost increases, which have seen the price of raw materials and labour skyrocket.

- The Council’s current financial position, which leaves no room for such a significant capital shortfall.

What is Being Cancelled?

It is important to distinguish which part of the map is being wiped clean. The recommendation for cancellation applies specifically to the part-funded DfT section of the road, which was intended to run from Holyhead Road to Battlefield.

However, the "Western Section" - often referred to as the Oxon Link Road (connecting the A5 Churncote to Holyhead Road) - remains in a state of flux. This section is currently undergoing a separate assessment of options, with further announcements expected "in due course."

"Given the stark reality of the figures, the NWRR project is simply no longer viable. With the DfT closing the checkbook, the council cannot justify the £88m gap in funding."

For many, the news will be a bitter pill regarding lost infrastructure; for others, a relief that a project plagued by rising costs has finally been cancelled.