CONSTRUCTION of Hereford’s western bypass will cost around £300m, more than double the expected amount, according to a leading opposition councillor.

Herefordshire Council officers estimate the cost for the scheme to be £132m but Independent group leader councillor Bob Matthews believes this is an underestimation.

He also told the council’s cabinet meeting this week that large companies are not moving to the city because they have no confidence in the proposed roads.

He 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.

He said: “I don’t think the public has satisfactorily been given an option in a democratic choice in what route to take.

“Large companies are not moving to Hereford because they have little or no confidence in the proposed infrastructure program we’ve put in place.

“The terrain where the western relief road is, was extremely tested and tried and you had an overspend of 7.4m on a mainly flat stretch of road.

“So I think it could be taken as read that the cost of the western bypass would be nearer £300m than what is being proposed passing on the same scenario of figures with what happened in the city.”

Conservative councillor Philip Price, cabinet member for infrastructure, said all he heard from Coun Matthews was a bunch of opinions and asked him what companies had told him they would not come to Hereford.

He added: “I would like to know who they are.

“There is no overspend if you are referring to the city link road and 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.

“The consultations we have had all the way back to the core strategy, and the recent HTP 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.”