Hereford'S battle for a bypass may soon be over. The Government is expected to give the go-ahead for a Rotherwas relief road by autumn, writes BILL TANNER.

Chris Chappell, council cabinet member for economic development, has confirmed a fresh drive for a local project long stuck in neutral.

Whitehall, he says, is looking to move matters forward, tapping into a new spending strategy that has relief roads for traffic-hit towns and cities as a top priority.

"I think we'll see a Hereford bypass built, at least in part, within the next couple of years." Rumours of a thumbs-up for the road reached the region this week. Councillor Chappell has been told final approval could come between late summer and early autumn. But supporters of the scheme still have cause for caution, the Government has disappointed them before. A clearer picture may emerge after a planned meeting between county MEP Neena Gill (Labour) and minister for roads, Lord Whitty, on June 8.

The relief road effectively follows the course of the original eastern bypass through Rotherwas.

Herefordshire Council is committed to the route as an important aid to economic expansion. Business, too, backs this view. But eco-minded opponents argue for other options to be examined. The route risks running into areas of outstanding natural beauty.