ROTHERWAS ACCESS ROAD BID REJECTED AGAIN - KEETCH

12.20.53pm GMT Thu 6th Jul 2006

Local MP, Paul Keetch has today learnt that the Herefordshire Council's bid to secure funding for the Rotherwas Access Road has again been rejected by the Department for Transport, this time on value for money grounds.

The Transport Minister, Gillian Merron MP will today announce in the House of Commons the Regional Funding Allocations for the West Midlands, which will see a huge bulk of the funding being awarded to urban areas throughout the region.

Commenting on today's decision, Mr Keetch said:

"This is very bad news for the county. This decision underlines what I have been saying all along - that if we are to secure funding for the project, a 'joint approach' between Herefordshire Council and other providers is essential if we are to alleviate the current transport problems to the south of the City.

"Once again it is clear that Conservative-controlled Herefordshire Council have failed to make the business case for the Rotherwas Access Road. You would think that after two failed bids this Council would have got its act together but this decision again highlights the sheer incompetence of this administration," Mr Keetch said.

Only last week, Paul Keetch MP called on Herefordshire Council to use planning gains from housing development to fund infrastructure improvements. He has consistently questioned the Council on the need to spend £5 million on a livestock market when Herefordshire's road system requires so much investment.