A PROPER bypass for Hereford could be put back into the county's transport plans.

Deputy council leader Councillor George Hyde told Herefordshire Council's cabinet that Hereford now needed a bypass "desperately".

The council, said Coun Hyde, had nothing to lose by bidding for a bypass - as a bypass - because of "Government fudging" over the past five years.

"There's no point saying that if we keep talking about a bypass we won't get a (Rotherwas) access road. We still don't have an access road and Government uses any excuse to pass (the project) back, " he said.

Coun Terry James had raised the idea of a new river crossing for the city as cabinet debated the county's local transport plan.

Coun James said the plan - still in its provisional stage - should put down a marker for another crossing. And another crossing was indicative of a bypass, he said.

Coun Polly Andrews told cabinet the council had to be politically realistic about road bids when the county, with its two opposition MPs, had nothing to offer the Government.

"They'll give to us if they feel like it and if they don't, they won't," she said.

Councillor Don Rule said the plan should also promote an extension to the Ledbury bypass with high-tech firms eyeing up the town.