Blyth relief road plan submission delayed

The new business case will reflect the results from a consultation programme last Autumn

A planning application for a town's long-awaited relief road is not due to be submitted the end of the year, it has emerged.

The scheme involves a new dual carriageway and widening of the existing single carriageway along the length of the A1061 at Blyth, in Northumberland.

Northumberland County Council was aiming to submit the application in April but now says a "revised programme" is being developed.

This follows feedback from the Department for Transport, which is required to approve the business case and grant funding.

The scheme, which also includes a new single carriageway link between Chase Farm Drive and Ogle Drive, was one of the projects put forward at the Conservative Party conference to receive funding after the scrapping of the northern leg of HS2.

It is aimed at reducing local congestion, cutting car and bus journey times, and offering greater walking and cycling opportunities.

'More complicated'

However, the DfT has requested updated traffic modelling following the coronavirus crisis.

The refreshed business case will also reflect on the consultation programme held last Autumn and provide more detail on how it links with other schemes in the area, such as the Northumberland Line and new cycle corridors.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council’s deputy leader councillor Richard Wearmouth said: "There are a few things that have enforced the changes.

"We need to look at the impact of Covid on traffic flows."

Mr Wearmouth, who is also the chairman of Northumberland Conservatives, added that he was "confident" the Tories would complete the project if elected next month.

Jeff Reid, who represents the Blyth Plessey ward and is the leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "I’m not surprised it has been put back.

"These things are always far more complicated than just drawing a line on a map.

"Whether it will survive the general election or not, I don’t know – but Blyth needs a relief road."

It is understood that, if elected, Labour will consider infrastructure projects on a case-by-case basis.