On 22 January 2003 Dorset County Council
met to decide on its preferred route for
the Weymouth Relief Road.
The Cabinet agreed to the Orange Route
as the best option for the Weymouth Relief
Road. Members considered the impact of the
Orange and Brown Routes on traffic, on the
environment, on people, and the deliverability
and cost of each option.
At the time, Jim said: "I have always
supported the concept of a Weymouth Relief
Road - I believe that we need the road both
to improve the economy of our town and to
reduce the currently dangerous levels of
congestion. My original preference was for
the Brown Route option, as I had been advised
that it was the only option which relieved
congestion not only on the Dorchester Road
but also in the centre of Weymouth and on
the Preston Beach Road. However, recent
traffic projections have indicated that
this is not the case and that the Orange
Route option would have an improved effect
on traffic levels through Weymouth and beyond.
Leading up to this decision, I hosted several
meetings with council engineers and planners
and with the relevant environmental lobby
groups. I therefore had the opportunity
to discuss at great length the human and
environmental implications of the Relief
Road's different routes. I have also discussed
this matter with the County and Borough
Councillors for the relevant wards.
My conclusion is a preference for the Orange
Route, and I am pleased that the County
Council has now agreed with me and opted
for the Orange Route.
On balance the Orange Route appears to
offer the best and most deliverable solution.
While the traffic impacts of both the Orange
and the Brown Routes are similar, the Brown
Route has a greater impact on the environment.
The Orange Route affects a smaller number
of properties than the Brown Route but of
those a larger number will be significantly
affected and measures to reduce this will
be needed.
English Nature have made their opposition
to the Brown Route clear and their objection
could prevent the County Council from getting
the DEFRA development licence needed because
of the presence of bats at Horselynch Plantation
making the Brown Route more difficult to
deliver.
On advice from the Environment Agency,
the County Council might need to spend up
to £4 million if the Brown Route cuts
through the old landfill site at Lodmoor.
This coupled with the spiralling cost of
development land and other costs associated
with the Brown Route make the Orange Route
the best value for money option for the
people of Dorset.
The County Council will now advise Weymouth
and Portland Borough Council to include
the Orange Route in their Local Plan. A
planning application and detailed business
plan will be prepared for Government approval."
A vigorous local campaign spearheaded by
Jim then set out to convince the Government
to financially support the new road. Finally
on 18th December 2003, Transport Minister
Tony McNulty announced that Weymouth's Orange
Route was to be included in the Government's
list of 20 new major local transport schemes
for 2004/5. Though the detail of the form
of the financing is still to be worked out,
this represents a firm commitment of financial
support from the Government.
It now remains for Weymouth Relief Road
to achieve planning permission, and to proceed
with any necessary compulsory purchase orders.
This could be achieved through the Local
Plan but if that is not the case the matter
will go before a public enquiry, which could
take longer. However the Relief Road has
taken in recent months an extremely significant
step towards realisation.
