DURING the 1980 and 1990s, Hereford and District Trades Council supported the construction of a Hereford bypass.

The council was made up of most of the county’s trade unions, and we were committed to raising the standard of living of our members who then, as now, lived in one of the lowest waged counties in the country. We saw the bypass as an economic necessity, providing better jobs, higher wages and housing for our members.

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If we could encourage new business to Rotherwas and existing businesses to expand, stop the outflow of young talent leaving the county, encourage new people here, the local economy could grow to the benefit of everyone.

Today we have Skylon Park at Rotherwas and a university that is already gaining international plaudits for its work. The potential for our economy to grow, giving better life choices for our workforce, requires Hereford to have a bypass. We need to provide modern housing to encourage the workforce to settle. The university needs to encourage only the best lecturers and technicians to the county.

What are your thoughts?

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Herefordshire is competing against other areas for the best of industry, or we will remain an economic backwater.

The trades council did not have a preference for a route for the bypass, as there was not an option then. But I believe that if we were still meeting, we would support a western route.

As a socialist, who spent 27 years on the council trying to make people’s lives a little easier, I have heard too many pleas for a bypass, that I was not surprised that the political parties against the bypass at the recent elections, failed to get enough votes to form an administration.

CHRIS CHAPPELL

Hereford