Shropshire highways officials have again dashed hopes of a bypass for Much Wenlock, claiming no economic case can be made for it.

Officials say the £11 million cost of the scheme would not represent good value for money for taxpayers. The county council cabinet will on Wednesday be recommended not to bring back the project into the major scheme programme of the Local Transport Plan.

Bypass plans for Much Wenlock, along with Morville, Whittington and Cressage were axed more than 10 years ago after council officers said the Government would never back the proposals.

A report to cabinet says “strong representations” to review the Much Wenlock decision were made during consultation for the five-year transport plan, which runs until 2011.

A review looked at the cost-benefit ratio of three bypass options and the likelihood of being able to secure regional funding.

But the report concludes: “In order to secure major scheme funding it is necessary to demonstrate good value for money.

“The negative cost-benefit ratios for all three bypass options do not justify committing any more resources to the Much Wenlock bypass at the current time or in the foreseeable future.”

The benefits of a scheme are calculated on such factors as accident and journey time savings. Costs cover road construction and buying the land.

Although the idea of a bypass is facing rejection, the review has considered “alternative measures” for dealing with traffic problems in the town.

The findings will form part of a public exhibition at the end of the month.

Much Wenlock mayor Councillor Dave Gibbon, said: “Of course it’s disappointing but I feel it’s fairly inevitable that it would not go ahead with everything added up and put together.

“It’s because of funding, environmental impact and traffic counts.

“Some time ago a bypass was in the plan but was then removed. The biggest problem was funding.

“The other issue was environmental. 

“We live in a beautiful part of the country and the impact on that particular part of Shropshire would have been great.”

By Dave Morris and Rachael Lowe