The progress comes as Cabinet prepares to consider an update on the project at its meeting on 24 September 2026. Cabinet will be asked to note the developments since the award of an early-stage contract that allows the council to develop the detailed design, test assumptions, identify risks and refine costs before construction begins.

The bypass remains strategically important to Hereford’s wider transport strategy. It will support housing growth, economic development, improved access to the Hereford Enterprise Zone and the long-term ambition to improve connectivity around the city.

The first phase would provide a new link between the A49 and the A465, improving access from the south west of the county and South Wales, and helping to reduce traffic on Belmont Road, Walnut Tree Avenue, Holme Lacy Road and nearby rural routes currently used as shortcuts.

In the longer term, the scheme will form the anchor point for the full bypass route to the West of Hereford, which, when delivered, will alleviate traffic congestion through the city, and unlock land that could support up to 14,000 new homes and employment space for up to 10,000 jobs. Herefordshire is required by government to plan for 27,000 homes in the county by 2041, and the bypass forms an important part of enabling that growth in a planned and sustainable way.

As with any major infrastructure project of this scale, some key issues have emerged during the pre-construction stage. These include additional design requirements, planning constraints, ecology and seasonal working requirements, technical approvals from external bodies, inflationary pressures, rising constructions and labour costs, and reduced scope for some value engineering savings.

Councillor Philip Price, Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure, said:

“After years of discussion and planning, preparatory works have now begun on the ground as we prepare the route ahead of future construction.

“At the same time, we are being clear about the challenges. Major infrastructure projects are complex, and the pre-construction stage is doing what it is supposed to do: testing the design, exposing risks, understanding costs and making sure we have a deliverable plan before any decision is made to move into the main construction contract.

“The council has previously been clear about its ambition to begin construction by December 2026, but it is also important that we take account of the latest information coming through the PCSA, including land, design, ecology, technical approvals and cost pressures. Cabinet will consider the latest position carefully before decisions are made on the next stage.

“Our priority is to ensure the scheme remains deliverable while providing value for money for Herefordshire residents. There is a strong strategic and economic case for investing in the county’s infrastructure, and significant public support for the bypass. When built it will unblock congestion in the city, unlock economic growth for the county and unleash Herefordshire's future.”