A CAMPAIGNER trying to keep lorries off a narrow Herefordshire “rat run” across the River Wye after the first phase of the city bypass is built says the county’s transport chief isn’t being frank with him.

Chris Parnell-Smith asked Cabinet member for transport Philip Price to publish the council’s recent modelling data for the C1098 Bridge Sollers Road, which runs from the main A438 west of the city to the B4352 at Madley, linking to the planned new bypass beyond Clehonger.

He also called for Coun Price to “commit to a prohibition of through traffic and a 7.5-tonne weight limit on that road”, which at just four to seven metres wide and signposted as unsuitable for HGVs.

In a pre-published reply, Coun Price said the council “continues to assess the impact of the bypass scheme on both the strategic and local highway network, and the concerns raised about the C1098 will be considered as part of that ongoing work”.

But on the data asked for, he said only: “The council will continue to publish further information, data and evidence where appropriate and practicable.”

Mr Parnell-Smith has hit back saying forecasts for traffic impact on the C1098 “already exist” and were released to him this month in response to an Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) request – “so publication is plainly practicable”.

This reveals a forecast 19 per cent increase in evening peak traffic on Bridge Sollers Road, and a 48 per cent rise between peaks, by 2028 when the new road is due to open, while lorry traffic is due to go up by a third.

Resulting increases in traffic on the B4352 through Madley would be even higher, figures show.

“My sense is the council just want to ignore all negative aspects for as long as possible, and ideally until after they’ve already got approval to place the construction contract,” Mr Parnell-Smith said.

While preparatory work on the bypass phase one has begun this month, the main road-building contract has yet to be concluded.