Hereford Bypass should be halted Transport Alliance argues

Members of the Herefordshire Transport Alliance staged a protest in Hereford city centre, setting up a “Change My Mind” booth to engage with the public and argue that the proposed bypass will not solve the city’s congestion problems.

"There has been a lot of misinformation put out by the council," said Amanda Martin, a member of the alliance. 

"These roads never deliver the benefits that are promised.

"They are nearly always driven by political expediency because the public do not understand why these roads do not solve the problem."

Mrs Martin said the bypass would offer only short-term relief, with traffic returning to previous levels within five years.

She described the scheme as “a third of a billion pounds for a road that's only going to dig the hole deeper.”

Carole Protherough, another member of the alliance, raised concerns about the financial impact on taxpayers.

"They haven't got a grant, no money from central government," Mrs Protherough said.

"It will come out of the pocket of the council taxpayer.

"One must question if that's good value for money."

Mrs Protherough warned that bypasses often attract large national retailers to the outskirts of towns, drawing business away from city centres:

"Hereford city, which I love dearly, is floundering somewhat these days.

"It will be further deserted by all the major expenditure on goods going to big national companies."

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The alliance argues that the solution to Hereford’s congestion lies in improved public transport and infrastructure for active travel, not new roads.

"No amount of road is going to cope with that car dependence," said Mrs Martin.

"If we could raise cycling from 8% to 33% in the city then we'd have no congestion."

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The group supports the previous council administration’s proposal for an eastern bridge between Hampton Park Road and Rotherwas, which they say would have been more environmentally friendly, quicker, and cheaper than the bypass.

They argue that 40 per cent of daily journeys in Hereford start and end within the city, making link roads across the A49 largely irrelevant for most traffic.

The Herefordshire Transport Alliance is currently seeking new members to support its campaign.

"There is wide support for the scheme and a positive case for its delivery. The bypass is about more than just a road - it is key to unlocking the homes, jobs and infrastructure Herefordshire needs for the future," said Herefordshire Council.