Shrewsbury’s North West Relief Road paused as costs spiral
Shropshire Council is exploring alternative congestion solutions after funding shortfall
Shropshire Council is still considering an alternative highways scheme to improve congestion in Shrewsbury after the ill-fated North West Relief Road (NWRR) project was paused.
It was initially estimated that building the NWRR would cost £87.2 million but over the course of eight years, the figure reached an eyewatering £215m. This was due to planning delays, significant increases in global construction costs and concerns with the scheme’s governance arrangements, cited as “a significant weakness” by external auditors.
In total, just shy of £39m has been spent on the scheme, with the Department for Transport (DfT) saying it would not allocate more money. Therefore, in June, Shropshire Council decided to pause the project as it could not make up the significant shortfall.
The authority has said that discussions are still ongoing with the DfT, with an alternative scheme being considered. This, the council says, would enable it to retain existing government funding to partly cover write off costs.
Julia Buckley, the MP for Shrewsbury, has been part of the discussions, said the council. Mrs Buckley has previously said that reallocating the existing NWRR funds to more immediate infrastructure improvements would be more more beneficial. This could include widening the roundabouts at Battlefield and Sundorne, which she said would provide immediate relief from congestion and support business growth by improving access to the town’s enterprise parks.
At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday (November 19), member of the public John Palmer asked why there was “silence” in recent months about resolving the NWRR spend issue with the Government.
Councillor Roger Evans, the portfolio holder for finance, said no solution has yet been arrived at, but confirmed no government officers have said they would pay the full cost to construct the road.
Shropshire Council has made a formal request to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for £15 million of exceptional financial support to help the authority through the current financial year. Councillor Evans said the department has been made fully aware of the associated write-off costs should the NWRR be formally cancelled.
“Part of the NWRR incorporates what was formally called the Oxon Link Road,” said Councillor Evans.
“This subject appears on the council’s forward plan. Until clarification can be sought from government to resolve this issue, the council will continue to report the latest position openly.”