Minister to consider options for relief road

Shropshire Council leader Heather Kidd said it was "near impossible" to move ahead with Shrewsbury's bypass

The government has agreed to discuss the future of an out-of-favour bypass plan in Shropshire.

The Liberal Democrats, who took control of Shropshire Council in the May elections, have said they want to scrap the proposals for a North West Relief Road around Shrewsbury.

But council leader Heather Kidd said she did not want to have to pay back the £39m government money it has spent to date.

The transport minister Lillian Greenwood has said she will meet the council to discuss its options.

The bypass was put forward as a plan by the Conservatives when they ran the council, as a means of reducing the amount of traffic passing through the town.

But it was opposed by other parties for a number of reasons, including its cost and its impact on the environment.

Ahead of the May local elections, the parties pledged to put a stop to the plans if they gained power.

The council has estimated the cost of the relief road, if it did go ahead, now stands at £215m.

In her letter to the government, Kidd said: "We feel we have inherited a near-impossible situation to progress the scheme, which is only likely to be solved by intervention from Ministers."

She also said she could not guarantee the council had the funds to pay back the money spent so far.

No date has yet been fixed for the meeting.