THE Hereford bypass is not just a Herefordshire issue.

The Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy is leading a review into infrastructure links between the four nations.

He told Rail Magazine that if you look at Welsh north-south connections both the railway operated by Transport for Wales and the A49 road actually connect largely through England.

This clearly indicates that a Hereford bypass is an essential part of national infrastructure and should be built as a matter of urgency, not least to aid economic recovery and increase transport efficiency.

Transport within Hereford is a totally separate issue and possibly could be addressed by cycle routes and other means.

However, councillors should not take them as an answer to a much larger national issue.

DAVID WILCOX
Leominster