Councillors call for answers over Shropshire relief road funding

It emerged last month that the council is hoping to use Shropshire's £136m allocation from the government's Local Transport Fund (£136m) to fill the gap.

But auditors examining the scheme raised doubts over whether the LTF money, which is allocated over a seven-year period, can be used for the project. 

The county’s Green Party councillors have now called for "urgent clarification" over the funding arrangements for the road - which is estimated to cost £178m, considerably more than the £81m expected when the scheme was announced.

Green Party Councillor for Porthill in Shrewsbury, Julian Dean, said the council was "clutching at straws" by claiming the £136m LTF cash can be used for the project. 

He said: "That money is for transport infrastructure for the whole county. 

"With people desperate for better connectivity and public transport across Shropshire, it would be an insult to blow it on four miles of controversial road."

His fellow Green Party Councillor Duncan Kerr added: "The LTF money is desperately needed for road improvements across the whole county – not just Shrewsbury. Several of these schemes have already been deferred; and many will be cancelled if this fund is raided."

The Local Transport Fund was pledged by the previous Conservative government in March 2024 using money from the cancelled northern leg of HS2.

When Shropshire’s share of the fund was announced by the council in February, Councillor Ian Nellins said: "We’re awaiting details of how the funding can be spent, but first indications are that it will offer the opportunity to improve the county’s roads, bus and rail services, and transport infrastructure, which is great news for the county.”

His colleague and fellow Cabinet Member, Councillor Dean Carroll, added: “We’re pleased that the council will be able to choose how to spend the money, and we will continue working with local communities to decide how to invest this funding in line with our emerging priorities and strategies.”

In an interview with the Shropshire Star, former Road Minister, Guy Opperman said the LTF money was for infrastructure projects in Shropshire, giving the example of a pelican crossing - but said funding for the relief road would come from a separate decision from the government following the submission of the full business case for the scheme.