MP calls for 'watertight' business case over Shrewsbury's North West Relief Road

Daniel Kawczynski has written to the authority to call on it to ensure its business case is "robust" and will stand up to Government scrutiny if submitted for funding.

He said: "I have written to Shropshire Council's chief executive Clive Wright and what I have said to him is it is vital that the council now puts in the business case for this, completely watertight with all the figures and information updated.

"Things will have changed since the last time it was put forward for investment and it has to be watertight when it goes to the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) because there will be fierce competition with other LEPs around the country for funding from Government.

"I have said to Clive Wright this has to be a priority. Shrewsbury will grind to a halt in the next 20 years if this road is not built. It will literally seize up."

Mr Kawczynski's comments come after the chairman of the Marches LEP, Graham Wynn, confirmed the project was one of its priorities, and Andrew Jones, parliamentary under secretary of state at the Department of Transport, said the plan presented a strong case.

The Shrewsbury and Atcham MP said he is now turning his attention to secure backing for the project from all MPs who represent areas covered by the Marches LEP.

He said: "We are organising for all the Shropshire MPs to meet with the LEP in September at the House of Commons because again, we all have to be united behind a series of projects the LEP will be putting forward."

Mr Jones MP, who visited the county for discussions on the transport network last week, had told Shropshire representatives that the business case for the project would need to be carefully defined.

He said: "The North West Relief Road presents a very good case. We have talked about a number of issues here such as the level of traffic going through the town centre and the impact that can have on the life of residents and businesses.

"The road opens up the opportunity for the whole community. This would open up potential areas for further housing. It would also help to alleviate problems within the historic town centre.

"The key is that we already have agreement between the LEP and the council and the local MP.

"It has got local and national support. There is a strong case for it. The business case needs to be defined but there are plans under way to do that. There is a very large cost benefit ratio and there would be a good return. All projects needs to have a good return on public money."

The North West Relief Road would complete Shrewsbury's strategic road network by providing the fourth and final arc of the Shrewsbury Bypass, linking Battlefield to Oxon.

It has been previously suggested that the road would cut journey times between the west and the North of Shrewsbury by around two thirds – from 19.1 minutes to 6.6 minutes.

The project has however attracted significant opposition in the past with groups like Campaign to Protect Rural England and Shrewsbury Friends of the Earth warning it would destroy wildlife habitats.