A long-awaited planning for the Blyth Relief Road is set to be submitted after the project took a major step forward.
Northumberland County Council’s cabinet approved the decision at a meeting on Tuesday. An updated business case for the road was also submitted to the Department for Transport, with leading councillors issuing a plea for funding.
However, new figures show that the cost of the scheme has risen from £46.8 million in April 2023 to £59.9 million. A report presented to members also raised concerns about promised Government funding due to the ongoing spending review.
Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting of the cabinet, deputy leader Coun Richard Wearmouth said: “We know we need to significantly improve the road network around Blyth.
“It is challenging to move around at the best of times. We are very grateful to the people of Blyth for their patience with all the working going on around the town when we have been making significant improvements.
“We would hope that the current Government will honour the commitment of the last Government and pay for the full scheme. We will continue to make representations to achieve that, not least because it would free up funding to do other things.”
The latest iteration of the relief road will see a new dual carriageway as well as upgrades of the existing carriageway to two lanes between the A192 Three Horse Shoes Roundabout and the A193 South Beach. Furthermore, the length of the route would also benefit from a three-metre-wide cyclepath.
In addition, a new link road would be created to connect Chase Farm Drive, Tynedale Drive and Ogle Drive. In August, the Government refused to comment on council leader Glen Sanderson’s plea to commit to the project.
Speaking this week, Coun Sanderson said; “This underlines our commitment to Blyth. We can see all the work going on there and we see how thriving the Port of Blyth and associated work is there.
“We are committed to doing all we can to make sure a relief road is provided. I hope very much that this new Government will be as keen to see this road as the previous one was.
“We remain fully committed to Blyth – as the previous Government was.”
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