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The consequences of inaction

Accessibility means we are struggling to employ locally… the mornings and afternoons in the city centre are horrificLocal employer

Without action, Herefordshire faces a potential future of deepening congestion, stalled growth and lost opportunity.

  • Continued economic exodus – high-growth firms are already warning they will relocate outside Herefordshire within the next 2-5 years, potentially taking hundreds of skilled jobs and millions of pounds in GVA with them.
  • Planned growth is stalling – thousands of new homes and employment land remain harder to deliver despite housing need. Government housing targets might not be met meaning direct ministerial intervention and less local say in where developments take place.
  • Worsening congestion until gridlock – Hereford Transport Model (2032 forecast) indicates that peak-hour delays could increase significantly to 45-60 minutes.
  • Network resilience worsens – with only one main River Wye crossing, a closure of Greyfriars Bridge will continue to sever the county for hours or days, costing money each time and potentially endangering lives when emergency response is delayed.
  • Young people and talent leave in greater numbers – graduates and school-leavers already cite poor connectivity as a key reason for moving away. Leaders in education and skills predict that without the bypass, brain drain could accelerate.
  • £100's of millions of pounds in potential GVA never materialise – the potential economic uplift identified in successive business cases is potentially lost, locking Herefordshire into decades of relative decline.
  • City-centre regeneration plans remain limited – Hereford remains dominated by a four-lane trunk road with limited regeneration options, and the vision of a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly centre becomes harder to realise.
  • The two sides of Hereford remain divided – the A49 continues as a physical and social barrier, cutting communities off from each other.
  • Sustainable travel choices are choked off – limited options for bus lanes, cycle routes or 20 mph zones, constraining travel choices for those who live, work or visit the city.