Further relief road delays as full business case pushed to next year

The document - which outlines the full costs and arguments for the route - was due to be considered by councillors this month.

But the authority has now confirmed the paper will not be discussed this month - and will instead be considered in the New Year.

It is the latest delay in the ongoing saga of the council's attempts to build the road.

It also comes only days after auditors raised serious concerns over the council's handling of the project, revealing that the projected cost of the road is now £178m - more than double the £81m originally expected.

Recent days have also seen a huge increase in the estimates of the carbon cost of the road.

A statement from the council said the latest delay would allow the council time to ensure requirements "are thoroughly considered and met".

A spokesman said: "The Full Business Case (FBC) for the Shrewsbury North West Relief Road (NWRR) will now be considered by Full Council in the new year.

"This extra time will allow the council to ensure that all of the requirements for the scheme as set out at the Planning Committee are thoroughly considered and met, as well as more time to consider the scheme’s revised carbon calculations which were required by the Department for Transport as part of the FBC.

"When these are completed , and the scheme’s planning permission is confirmed, it will allow the project to progress on to the next stage which is the submission of the FBC."

Councillor Dan Morris, the authority's cabinet lead for highways, said: “There is clear evidence of the many benefits of the NWRR for people across Shropshire. We will share the FBC with the Department for Transport once it’s been discussed at Full Council.

 “Completing the missing link in Shrewsbury’s outer ring road will reduce average journey times around the town by 17 minutes. It will deliver major reductions in traffic, congestion and air pollution in Shrewsbury and many surrounding villages, boost public transport, cycling and walking, and attract new jobs and investment into the county.

“Put simply, doing nothing is not an option. Equally, there is no other realistic alternative that costs less, produces less carbon, and still delivers the benefits that the NWRR will see.”