Herefordshire’s transport chief has sounded a note of caution on the council’s earlier pledge to start full construction work on the Hereford bypass by Christmas.
With just two months left on the calendar, Herefordshire Council faces numerous challenges including updating the costings and full business case for Phase One, to run between the A49 to just beyond the A465 to the southwest of city, and concluding the main construction contract for the work.
It also needs to move ahead with a compulsory purchase order to acquire land along the route from at least one landowner unwilling to sell.
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Meanwhile Natural England has yet to issue permits for the disturbance of dormice and great crested newt habitats along and near the route.
And now the council has applied to itself for a “scoping opinion” to confirm that an environmental impact assessment (EIA) covering the enabling works around the bypass site will pass muster – which has the determination date of November 27.
“Herefordshire Council is committed to delivering Phase One as this will form the anchor point of the whole Hereford bypass scheme that will ultimately help unblock congestion in the city and accommodate the new mandatory housing target and business growth requirement,” Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure Coun Philip Price said.
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He acknowledged the council had previously stated its ambition to begin the main construction phase by December.
“However the pre-construction process has identified some matters that need to be resolved before the council enters into the main construction contract,” he said.
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“It would therefore be premature to give a firm date for the start of substantial construction until that work is complete and the council is satisfied that the scheme is deliverable and represents value for money.”
For the county’s Greens, who remain opposed to the entire project, group leader Coun Stef Simmons said of the council’s latest move: “The whole point of EIA is it’s supposed to be done early in the process to help avoid problems and improve environmental outcomes.”
She added she still has “serious doubts” about whether the project can stay within its £45-million budget “with all these additional costs”.
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