'Someone needs to be honest with us' – Councillor says public should be told relief road costs
The public should be told the expected increase in costs for Shrewsbury's North West Relief Road, it was demanded today.
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Copthorne in the town, Rob Wilson, said that he had been frustrated at a lack of answers from Shropshire Council over the potential cost of the road.
The council has said that it will not know the full rise in the price of the road until it has completed its business case for the project.
But Shrewsbury & Atcham's Conservative MP, Daniel Kawczynski has revealed he is seeking another £27.5 million for the project from government.
Mr Kawczynski's letter to the Department for Transport (DfT) states that amount would account for 75 per cent of the growth in costs.
That would leave the council to find around £9.1 million.
The most recent public estimate for the project from the council is £81 million – with £54.4m coming from Government, £28.5 million from the council itself, and £4.2 million from the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP).
The rising costs come as inflation soars and the price of raw materials, together with workforce costs, go up.
Councillor Wilson, who is opposed to the road and campaigns for improved bike and bus services across Shrewsbury, said: "I have asked various portfolio holders what is the cost various times and they have kept saying wait for the business case.
"Our MP has gone ahead and asked for more money so someone knows the figure. I would be very surprised if there was not a desktop figure in Shirehall – and if there is not then that's ridiculous.
"Just saying we have to wait for the full business case, that is not acceptable."
There are serious question marks over what will happen to the project if the Government turns down Mr Kawczynski's request – although the council has said it would not comment on the situation.
Councillor Wilson said he could not see the project proceeding on the current budget – with a number of measures, such as a crawler lane, already removed from the plan.
He said: "They have cut it to the bone to keep it on life support.
"It just feels like people are backed into a corner because they feel like this is what they have to do.
"Someone needs to be honest with us and the rest of the county and say they cannot do this, but I don't know if any of the people involved are willing to say that."
