ALL Conservative members of Bromsgrove District Council voted against a feasibility assessment for a Western Relief Road at last night’s council meeting, after announcing a Strategic Transport Assessment (STA) of the district had been commissioned.

The STA will be a seven-month project and run in three phases, assessing future transport solutions for the whole district.

Before the STA was announced the 5,000 strong petition for a Western Relief Road was presented to full council by Robert Powell from Whitford Vale Voice.

The petition stated: “For almost fifty years local residents (and sometimes even the local council) have been calling for a Bromsgrove Western Relief Road (sometimes called the Western Bypass). Over that time the traffic congestion and air pollution in our town have got worse and worse. A Bromsgrove Western Relief Road would dramatically reduce congestion and improve air quality in the town centre and on the A38 (Eastern bypass).”

Councillor for Hill Top, Luke Mallett, then presented a motion to the council calling for a feasibility assessment of a Western Relief Road. He said: “A Western Relief Road is not a new thing; it’s been discussed actively for more than two decades. It is to exit and enter Bromsgrove without going through the town centre. If Worcester can have a distributor road, then why can’t Bromsgrove?”

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The western relief road motion was defeated by 18 votes to 12, with all conservative members voting against.

Councillor Mallett said after the meeting "This is a massive blow to the thousands of local residents who signed the petition and have called for this over so many years.

"Every Conservative councillor voted against a relief road for Bromsgrove - risking the opportunity to create a relief road being lost forever."

Leader of Bromsgrove District Council, Karen May, said: “We recognise the need for a STA throughout the district, and not just one specific area. I am delighted that this work has been commissioned and, with the investment in the new demand responsive transport system for Bromsgrove and surrounding villages, we can achieve a true modal shift to accommodate all forms of transport."

Other motions were due to be discussed at the meeting, but due to a lengthy debate about the western relief road, a vote was taken to discuss the motions not mentioned at the next council meeting.