Shrewsbury north west relief road – response to environmental concerns

A number of comments and concerns have been raised recently about the environmental impact of the Shrewsbury north west relief road.

The environmental impact of the road was considered and fully explained as part of the published outline business case, with the impact balanced against the considerable positive environmental outcomes in terms of air quality, traffic levels, road safety, and increases in forecast walking/cycling activity and public transport use within the town itself.

Plans to take in ongoing management of the Hencott Pool RAMSAR site alongside the road’s proposed route, to ensure the proper ongoing management of this key environmentally-sensitive habitat, are also included in the business case.

Shropshire Council is committed to delivering bio-diversity improvements as part of a comprehensive package of measures to mitigate the environmental impacts of the road.

The route of the north west relief road

Since the Department for Transport’s funding announcement in March 2019, the council has been working closely with the Environment Agency and Severn Trent to address their early concerns regarding the road. The council will continue to work with stakeholders and undertake further public consultation before submitting the planning application in spring of next year [2020].

In advance of the Business Case’s submission to the DfT in December 2017, Shropshire Council undertook extensive public and stakeholder consultation including a number of very well attended events. The environmental case was a key aspect of this consultation, and Friends of the Earth were invited, and attended, all of these events alongside the council to fully set out their own position.

Further information

A full report on the detailed environmental case

The December 2017 consultation report

For more information about the north west relief road, go to: www.shropshire.gov.uk/nwrr.