The Shrewsbury North West Relief Road is a planned 4miles long single-carriageway bypass for Shrewsbury in England. It has been approved but requires additional funding in order to be built.[1]
The road has been discussed officially since the mid-1980s. Plans to introduce tolls to fund the road were explored, but dismissed in December 2007.[2]
In 2019, the cost was stated to be £71 million.[3] In April 2021, the cost was stated to be £84.3 million. £54 million is promised from national government funding with local government picking up the rest, including any overspend.[4]
Despite some opposition, the relief road was approved in 2024.[5] By this time the costs are believed to have reached £120 million and Shropshire council are unable to pay for it without additional funding from the national government. The new local MP Julia Buckley elected at the 2024 general elections believes that the money already secured for the project should be used on different projects instead.
The road would connect the A5 in the west with the A5124 in the east, creating a complete ring road around Shrewsbury. It will cross the River Severn via a 668m (2,192feet) long viaduct near to the Darwin Trail and be close to sites of scientific interest and an ancient woodland, necessitating the felling of some trees.
Shropshire Council argues that the road will reduce congestion and unlock new land for housing. The scheme has received over 5,000 formal objections[6] and has been criticised for being contradictory to the council's net zero by 2030 pledge.
The project has been criticised by climate activists for its environmental impact. They claim the road will require at least 29 trees to be felled including one which is over 550 years old.