North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin said in a recent letter that he has always favoured a bypass east of Hereford.
Constituent Gillian Bulmer recently wrote a letter to Hereford and South Herefordshire MP Jesse Norman raising concerns over the proposed western bypass.
As the proposals stand, the new road would go through one of the two Pippin Trust heritage cider apple orchards in Breinton. It would also nip the corner of the other, if the plans remain as they are.
In a reply from Mr Wiggin, dated October 4, 2018, he said he had been forwarded Ms Bulmer’s letter as he was her MP.
“I entirely appreciate your concerns and, as you know from my previous correspondence, I have always favoured an eastern route for the bypass,” he said.
Mr Wiggin also said he has written to Herefordshire Council chief executive Alistair Neill regarding the matters she raised.
At a council cabinet meeting on June 7, Independent group leader Bob Matthews mentioned that at least one county MP backed an eastern route while questioning the western route cost estimate.
He told the meeting that large companies were not moving to the city because they have no confidence in the proposed roads.
He also said the public had not been given a proper democratic choice on the route of the bypass and that one of the county’s MPs backs the eastern route.
Conservative infrastructure cabinet member Philip Price said at the time that all he heard from coun Matthews was a bunch of opinions and that he knew that both of the count’sy MPs backed a western bypass.
“At this moment in time we have no reason to suppose the cost of the road is going to be an overspend of well over £100m as you are suggesting,” he said.
“The consultations we have had all the way back to the core strategy, and the recent Hereford Transport Plan consultation and the recent option for routes the local public and residents of this county have clearly said they want us to deal with this problem.
“It is also my view that the MPs are supportive of what we are doing.
“You say these things, but they don’t tell me that, and I know the MPs are supportive of the western route.”
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