To consider responses to the resolutions of General Overview & Scrutiny Committee (2 December 2014) following the call in of the decision of cabinet taken on 13 November, and confirm a preferred option for the South Wye Transport Package (SWTP) including the preferred route for a new link road from the A49 to the A465 (with a link to the B4349)

1              A package of measures that would overcome transport problems within the South Wye area of Hereford has been developed and assessed. The South Wye Transport Package (SWTP) has identified a number of possible improvements, covering different transportation modes, strategies and interventions.

2              The assessment has concluded that in order to address the transport problems within the South Wye area, a new Southern Link Road (SLR) from the A49 to the A465 (with a link to B4349) is necessary.  This would generate additional capacity with new infrastructure to the south of Hereford. A new road would improve existing connections between the A465, A49 and the Hereford Enterprise Zone.  It would support economic development and growth of the city in line with the Strategic Economic Plan for the Marches LEP.

3              Route options for this new road have been considered and appraised by the councils consultants Parsons Brinkerhoff (PB) and the results of their appraisal is set out in a preferred options report (South Wye Transport Package – Preferred Option Report (November 2014)) which can be found in Appendix 1.

4              This report describes the scheme development, and identified that an appraisal of the route options determined that four of the initial eight options represented feasible solutions to problems, with the other four routes sifted out due to environmental considerations.

5              Public consultation took place in July / August 2014 where the results of the appraisal of these four routes were set out and feedback was invited. Following consideration of this feedback detailed appraisal of a number of alternative alignments suggested by the public and third parties took place. These alternative alignments were appraised to the same level of detail as the four options originally consulted on. 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 of each route.

6              The Council’s project team has reviewed the report and is satisfied with the conclusions.  Using nationally recognised guidance in order to carry out a robust appraisal, Option SC2 has the highest score of all the routes appraised. This route corridor also received the highest levels of support based on feedback from public consultation.  It is therefore recommended that this SC2 is selected as the preferred route to be taken forward for planning and implementation.

1            No Road Option: If a route is not selected and a road scheme is not approved / route selected, the transport objectives within the South Wye area cannot be achieved. Economic growth at the Hereford Enterprise Zone would be impacted and congestion could not be reduced. This option would be inconsistent with Unitary Development Plan, emerging Local Development Framework and the Strategic Economic Plan for the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership.

2            Other route option selected – If a route other than SC2 is selected this would be inconsistent with best practice for route selection for road schemes. The process followed uses DfT Webtag as a framework for appraisal. If a route is selected which scores less than SC2 this could be challenged and would compromise scheme delivery.