Campaigner calls for answers over spiralling Shrewsbury North West Relief Road costs

It has been revealed that Shropshire Council's North West Relief Road proposal for Shrewsbury could need an extra £40m.

The project was originally budgeted at around £81m, but rises in construction costs have seen the potential bill for the road increase significantly.

Shropshire Council has said it cannot confirm the amount needed for the project, but Shrewsbury & Atcham's Conservative MP, Daniel Kawczynski, has written to the Secretary of State for Transport Anne-Marie Trevelyan, to ask for an extra £27.5m to meet the shortfall.

Mr Kawczynski's letter to the Department for Transport (DfT) states that would account for 75 per cent of the growth in costs – leaving the council to find around £9.1m.

Mike Streetly, from Better Shrewsbury Transport which is opposed to the road, questioned what would happen if the Government is not willing to stump up more money for the project.

He also questioned where Shropshire Council would find the extra money needed to meet its share of the increase.

The original cost breakdown for the project would see £54.4m coming from Government, £28.5m from Shropshire Council, and £4.2m from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).

Mr Streetly said: "What will the council do if the DfT refuses to increase the grant for the road? With £20m having been spent to date by the council, it is unclear where that money will come from if the road is mothballed.

"There is as yet no confirmation that the DfT will pay for the spending if the road doesn’t proceed."

He added: "If the DfT cannot find additional funding and Shropshire can’t find an extra £10m, what will Shropshire taxpayers be left with? A £20m bill for expensive consultants, no government funding, and no road.

"If that happens, who will pay for the £20m spent and who will take responsibility for the failure of this project?"

Mr Streetly questioned any decision that would see millions added to the scheme's budget, when the new Chancellor warned the country faces fresh spending cuts as part of efforts to balance the books and restore fiscal credibility with the markets.

He said: "Government money was already tight before the recent chaos in the markets. For Shropshire to be begging for more cash as the UK teeters on the edge of a sovereign debt and cost of living crisis beggars belief.

"By deciding to prioritise this road over anything else our MP has clearly shown that he doesn’t understand what his constituents’ priorities are.

"In Shropshire, food bank use is soaring, the NHS and ambulance service is collapsing, and the council is in a precarious financial position. Ordinary Salopians are facing a grim winter where many will be worried about how to eat, how to heat, and even keep their homes. A new road is the last thing on anyone’s mind."

In a response earlier this week Shropshire Council said it is reviewing costs for the project but cannot comment definitively until it has completed the outline business case for the plans – which are yet to appear before the authority's planning committee.

Councillor Richard Marshall, Shropshire Council’s cabinet member for highways said: “Until the publication of the Full Business case however, we are not able to comment definitively on forecast final costs. Until that time, we will prudently continue to work with external funders in order to explore options around any additional funding that may potentially be available if required.”