megilleland Posted November 8, 2014 Report Posted November 8, 2014 Herefordshire Council Newsroom 7th November 2014 Southern Link Road preferred route to be considered On Thursday 13 November Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet will consider route SC2 as the preferred route for the Southern Link Road. A total of eleven route options for the new road have been considered and appraised by the council’s consultants Parsons Brinkerhoff and the results are set out in a preferred options report which will be considered by cabinet. The assessment has concluded that in order to address the transport problems and promote growth within the South Wye area, a new Southern Link Road from the A49 to the A465 (with a link to B4349) is necessary. Public consultation took place in July and August 2014 looking at four shortlisted routes. Following consideration of the feedback, a detailed appraisal of a three alternative routes suggested by the public and third parties also took place. Each of the three additional routes were appraised to the same level of detail as the four options consulted upon. Each of the final routes were appraised in terms of engineering considerations, economic outcomes, impact to the environment, and an assessment of the social implications. The Southern Link Road forms part of the South Wye Transport Package, which aims to promote economic growth within Hereford while tackling specific problems in the South Wye area. If Cabinet approve the SC2 route, a planning application will be submitted before the end of the year. The cabinet report and the preferred option report can be viewed on the council’s website. According to the report and Hereford Times this route will cost £25 million which appears amazingly cheap when compared with the costs for the city Link Road. Note that this route is furthest out from the city - no doubt so it can be infilled with housing. The loss of woodland at Grafton Wood should be compensated with planting of trees and screening along route.
Denise Lloyd Posted November 8, 2014 Report Posted November 8, 2014 Yes I saw this and brought up the original forum is it possible to marry the two forums
megilleland Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Posted November 9, 2014 The route is the dashed one furthest away from the city.
Denise Lloyd Posted November 9, 2014 Report Posted November 9, 2014 Here for Hereford â€@HereforHereford 2h2 hours ago Initial comments on the Cabinet Report to spend £27.5 m on a new Southern Link Road without reducing congestion http://www.hereforhereford.co.uk/2014/11/funding-for-the-full-south-wye-transport-package-is-in-doubt/ … This is well worth a read There is certainly a lot of room to put a lot of houses. That will pay a few bills and wages for the Council.
megilleland Posted November 9, 2014 Author Report Posted November 9, 2014 I have drawn the route on this OS map. Easier to see, although not 100% accurate. At least they miss Hayleasow Woods.
Cloudberry Posted November 9, 2014 Report Posted November 9, 2014 ANOTHER MISLEADING STATEMENT According to Council Cabinet Papers for Thurs 13 November, “Economic growth at the Hereford Enterprise Zone would be impacted and congestion could not be reduced†if the proposal for the Southern Link Road is not agreed. But questions in the South Wye Transport Package Report on Public Consultation have still not been answered, - see for example these Herefordshire Council quotes in that document: "4.14.8 People were also concerned that not enough evidence had been provided to justify the potential cost of the new road, and debated whether it would solve the current congestion problems. People would have liked to have seen detailed traffic figures to show the predicted use of the new road. Some people would have preferred to see the money being spent on public transport and traffic management. Others considered that they could not be objective without a detailed breakdown of the costs associated with each route." "4.14.9 It was acknowledged that the assertion in the exhibition that the new road will unlock barriers to development of the Hereford Enterprise Zone (HEZ) and further housing development is misleading, as the location would never have been chosen and approved if significant barriers to development existed. Some also highlighted that the Rotherwas Relief Road was built for this purpose and is under-used. Some were also uncomfortable with the outcome that the new road would help unlock further housing development, as they felt more housing would make traffic worse. See: http://councillors.herefordshire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=251&MId=5062&Ver=4 A Southern Link Road would actually benefit very few, so how can it be a good idea to spend £27.6 million on it?
SON OF GRIDKNOCKER Posted November 11, 2014 Report Posted November 11, 2014 I agree with Cloudberry (above). Megi's excellent graphic doesn't seem to me to be a vital trunk route into Rotherwas. To remove 'the barriers' to kick-start the development of the EZ something far more fundemental is required - like putting a dynamic management team in place. How long ago is it that George Osborne granted Rotherwas EZ status? Two years? Apart from the hideously-ugly £6-million Records Office, I've not spotted any new silicone valley type structures sprouting up. And has a single penny been spent of shoring up the crumbling 1918 Empty Shell Shed? It has not!
Cloudberry Posted November 11, 2014 Report Posted November 11, 2014 Thank you, Grid Knocker! Many HGVs can’t use the A465 Abergavenny road to reach Hereford from South Wales because they can’t get past the low railway bridge at Pontrilas (height 4.4m). So a Southern Link Road linking the A465 to the A49 and on to Rotherwas certainly won’t help them. There is also the low railway bridge on the A465 in Belmont (height 4.9m), so big HGVs are not coming from the south to ASDA roundabout and turning back on the A49 to get to Rotherwas on the “Rotherwas Relief Road†either. This means that ALL large HGVs coming or going to/from Hereford and the Enterprise Zone from the south will continue to use the A49 from Ross, where there is the M50 etc. So isn't it crazy to suggest that a Southern Link Road can make a difference to access to the Enterprise Zone or any difference to traffic congestion? P.S. I got the bridge heights off Google Earth Streetview!
Denise Lloyd Posted November 11, 2014 Report Posted November 11, 2014 Does anybody know the length of the proposed link road in town and the length of the SLR.
megilleland Posted November 11, 2014 Author Report Posted November 11, 2014 Does anybody know the length of the proposed link road in town and the length of the SLR. Couldn't find any definitive answer. My estimate for the roads are - the Link Road approx 780 metres (0.48 miles) and the SLR approx 3050 metres (1.9 miles) or the SLR is 4 times longer than the Link Road.
twowheelsgood Posted November 11, 2014 Report Posted November 11, 2014 Couldn't find any definitive answer. My estimate for the roads are - the Link Road approx 780 metres (0.48 miles) and the SLR approx 3050 metres (1.9 miles) or the SLR is 4 times longer than the Link Road. The SLR will also have to bridge two minor roads and the main line railway - massive on costs I would imagine. Still, it should all be done in a couple of weeks - when the M1 was built in the late 1950s, it was constructed at an average speed of a mile every eight days and a bridge every three days. Things just gone done in those days.
Aylestone Voice Posted November 11, 2014 Report Posted November 11, 2014 TWG - Correct. And in those days there was none of this wasteful public consultation and legal challenges!!!
Cambo Posted November 11, 2014 Report Posted November 11, 2014 No I'm sure the cost of constructing this road will go up to around £50 million? & also as it's been suggested not a lot of traffic will use it? But I think the purpose will be to eventually link it back up to the A49 by crossing the river & cutting across through brienton?
Cloudberry Posted November 12, 2014 Report Posted November 12, 2014 I am sure there are plenty of readers who think that is exactly what Hereford needs, but it doesn’t actually add up. If £millions are pledged to build these roads, where does the money come from? None of the expert studies are clear about benefits, but they would have to be huge benefits to match the costs. Are these roads a priority if many other services are cut more and more? There are still enormous deficits and debts all across the board. If a Western Relief Road was built to re-route the A49 over the River Wye and through Breinton, it would be single-carriageway, opening on to housing estates needed to help fund it. This is all presuming that there are loads of people wanting to come and buy new houses in west Hereford. But why would they? They would be on the wrong side of town for jobs in the Enterprise Zone (if lots of jobs do materialise). These extra people will also be travelling in and out of town to go shopping, visit the dentist, take kids to schools, etc. and add to congestion. Would all HGVs use the new road, or would many opt to save fuel and use the shorter route though Hereford? Hereford is a lovely place to live, with beautiful countryside all around. But it is off all main routes. My southern friends can’t believe it takes an hour to drive to Hereford from Gloucester. I think this is actually fine because the unspoilt countryside and heritage are Hereford’s best assets. These assets are what we ought to be using to put Hereford on the map. Remember how we missed out on making the Rotherwas Ribbon an important heritage site?
Jim Kenyon Posted November 12, 2014 Report Posted November 12, 2014 This link road is about housing not roads or easing congestion if they really wanted to make a difference they would link Rotherwas to Hampton park road via a bridge that would be money well spent!!!!
dippyhippy Posted November 12, 2014 Report Posted November 12, 2014 Isn't this eastern route the one that was backed by Jesse Norman? And weren't the costinngs for this considerably less, with considerably more benefits, given the proposed plan to put a railway stop at Rotherwas, this to me, would seem to be the most joined up plan.
megilleland Posted November 12, 2014 Author Report Posted November 12, 2014 You can find link to Jesse Norman's letter to the Marches LEP highlighting the Eastern Bypass (see post 15).
Denise Lloyd Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 RT @bbchw The route for Hereford's Southern Link road has been approved. It'll run from from the A49 to the A465 - with a link to B4349 0 replies0 retweets0 favorites Well that was the outcome of the Cabinet Meeting but we knew that would happen. Let's hope Here for Hereford can do something magical. Incidentally Hereford Voice had a mention from Here for Hereford.
megilleland Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Posted November 13, 2014 Well it looks as if this will be a local election issue. It's Our County say no to a relief road: Meanwhile in Hereford, current proposals for a “relief road†are set to squander millions on making matters worse, not better. Documents produced by the existing Council misrepresent the real situation. Any proposed bypass scheme would be likely to be defeated at public enquiry. The environmental impacts of all routes have been seriously underestimated, while overall traffic would increase, and projected benefits are negligible: a maximum of two minutes saved per car journey. No version of the road is ever likely to be funded by central government. The proposal to fund it by house-building would be catastrophic (see our sustainable development policy pages), and has never been properly costed. We believe it’s an irresponsible waste of public money to continue promoting this idea. and the Conservatives say lets get on and pour more concrete over the countryside. Should be interesting.
twowheelsgood Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 You only have to look at Worcester's southern 'relief road' which has been chocka since the day it opened and which they're now widening to accommodate yet more stationery traffic to see that this sort of approach simply does not work. In that respect IOC are absolutely correct.
Bill Thomas Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Herefordshire Councils Cabinet approved route SC2 as the preferred route for the Southern Link Road. The Southern Link Road will address specific transport problems in the South Wye area and promote economic development by unlocking the barriers for both housing and economic growth. The new route is planned from the A49 to the A465 (with a link to B4349) Councillor Phillip Price, cabinet member Infrastructure said, I am delighted with the decision made by cabinet today. This road has been talked about by Herefordians for some forty years and at long last we have negotiated the first hurdle to making it a reality. The new road represents the first phase of a western relief road with aspirations for it to extend to the A49 in the future. More importantly in the short term, the road supports the councils Core Strategy by unlocking much needed development land and easier access for businesses coming to and from the Enterprise Zone in Rotherwas. I am pleased to also say that the Highways Agency in its response to the Consultation is supportive of the approach being taken by the Council. My ambition for the county has always to ensure economic viability for business which in turn supports the development of more homes and the creation of more jobs; good news for everyone living in the county. Public consultation took place in July and August 2014 which looked at four shortlisted routes. Following consideration of the feedback, a detailed appraisal of three alternative routes suggested by the public and third parties also took place. Each of the three additional routes were appraised. The final routes were appraised in terms of engineering considerations, economic outcomes, impact to the environment, and an assessment of the social implications. With Cabinet approval now gained for the SC2 route, a planning application will be submitted before the end of the year. The cabinet report and the preferred option report can be viewed on the councils website HC Article
H.Wilson Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 This is the best route in my opinion.
twowheelsgood Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 This is the worst route in my opinion. Furthermore, the consultation was a complete sham and all of the 'sustainable' measures such as dedicated bus routes no longer feature. Here For Hereford have it in detail.
Roger Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 If you look on google then there is no simple link to a basic map to show where this road is situated. The other thread has a map (on this site) but any decent level of consultation would have generated something more to easily click on ...
dippyhippy Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Is this road REALLY the one Herefordians have talked about for forty years? Perhaps Cllr Price should widen the circle of folks he speaks to. Or takes advice from.
Denise Lloyd Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Now 3 forums can they not be combined?
dippyhippy Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Good point, Denise. It would be easier to follow this, if this thread was merged with the original.
megilleland Posted November 13, 2014 Author Report Posted November 13, 2014 This isn't a relief road it is an access road. An access road to large housing estates to be built in the near future. The only problem is that to access these new estates there will have to be a junction to access it. So does that mean there will be more traffic lights and/or roundabouts along this route crossing at grade which will only impede smooth flow along the whole length.
Ubique Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Question ........if and I think it's a big if , another Party take control next May can they change / cancel this . Megilleland.. Thank you for taking the time to posting the OS Map of the route.
twowheelsgood Posted November 13, 2014 Report Posted November 13, 2014 Just two months ago, the council issued a press release saying 'every councillor has been told they have a duty to downplay what can be expected from the council's £200 million 10-year public realm contract with Balfour Beatty'. Now we really know where the money is going to be spent.
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