THE Hereford bypass debate has been going on for almost as long as the discussions over Britain’s involvement with Europe.

And so it was, perhaps, inevitable that the two topics should one day come to play a decisive role in the results of a Herefordshire Council election.

The reasons why each individual chooses their candidate is not known but there can be no denying the strength of feeling that the bypass and Brexit provoke.

The two issues might seem poles apart but they are linked by the way that a definitive plan cannot be drawn up – and supported by the relevant parties – to ensure either can come to fruition.

The simplicity of the 2016 referendum question has now been shown up for what it was by the failure of politicians to take the country out of the EU.

And, while a majority of people in Herefordshire favour a bypass, no one can agree on which side of the city they want it built – never mind an exact route.

This week’s election saw the public clearly vote against the illogical Western route.

Several leading Conservative councillors, who all championed road-building through Breinton, were all kicked out.

Voters know that all the key transport links lie to the east – as does the Rotherwas Industrial Estate, the Hereford Enterprise Zone and Skylon Park.

The new council’s focus should therefore be on building a new bridge over the Wye near Rotherwas – and on finding a link to the A438 ‘Ledbury’ road.