Call to increase the pressure to ensure town bypass goes ahead

After more than 40 years on and off the cards, Beverley's 35m southern bypass was approved by East Riding of Yorkshire Council's planning committee in January.

Members voted unanimously for the planning application for the southern relief road, to be known as Minster Way.

Although the scheme has been mooted since the 1960s it was plunged into renewed uncertainty when the Government announced the scheme will have to compete against 21 others for a 600m pot, leaving some projects certain to miss out.

As reported by the Yorkshire Post, Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart has been pressing the case for the road with the Secretary of State for Transport, Philip Hammond.

Mr Stuart said yesterday: "The Minister made it very clear that while the scheme can bid for the cash it will have to have a very good business case to be accepted.

"The East Riding of Yorkshire Council will need to do all that it can to make sure the business case is strong, the project is value for money and that the cost benefit ratio is the best it can be. The council should look again at all the costs involved and every effort should be made to secure additional financial contributors to make the case for the bypass even stronger."

The MP underlined that if successful the bypass is expected to take more than a third of traffic out of the historic heart of Beverley, much of which passes close to the Minster.

He added: "We all know how tough the financial situation is so I'm delighted the bypass is still in the game and that the Secretary of State was prepared to hear my representations on why this project is particularly deserving of support.

"I will continue to make the case to Government and work with the local authority to make sure this vital scheme becomes a reality."

The 1.5-mile road is set to provide a route around Beverley for through traffic and relieve congestion in the town, particularly around the Minster.

A key part was a park-and-ride scheme which should ease pressure on parking spaces within the town.

Mr Stuart said: "This really is a vital scheme for the historic town of Beverley – it will greatly reduce the traffic passing the Minster and with its associated park and ride should make visiting this beautiful town a lot easier.

"So much work has already been done by the East Riding Council on this project it would be wrong not to make sure we push forward with it as soon as possible."

A spokesman for East Riding Council said: "There were widespread fears this would be the victim of the cuts and it's good news that the bypass scheme is in the frame, as it is desperately needed."

An application to build the bypass was approved by the council last year but the plans were slightly revised after consultation and environmental studies.

The amended scheme included changes to the height of the bridge over the railway line, a revised crossing at Shepherd's Lane, which is now suitable for both cyclists and horse riders, and a revised road layout.

The park and ride facility would now accommodate 500 cars, instead of the 750 originally planned, and a reliable bus connection to the town for commuters.

The 2.7km Minster Way is a major element of the Beverley Integrated Transport Plan and would connect the A164 from Morrison's roundabout to the A1174 Hull Road near Figham, providing a route around Beverley for through traffic.

Under the original timetable, construction is scheduled to start in late 2011, with completion in spring 2013.