Council to pursue relief road for Christchurch - even though report called bypass options ‘unviable’

At a meeting to discuss the report last week, members of the policy and resources committee called for further investigation into the possibility of a bypass to ease congestion.

This was despite a report from engineers Parsons Brinckerhoff saying there was no outstanding favourable option.

Only one of the bypass schemes - the purple route - was put forward for possible further investigation.

This route runs north from Somerford roundabout at Sainsbury’s, under the railway line north, and connects with the Avon Causeway and the A338, east of Hurn.

The study suggested it could be a new dual carriageway (50mph) with one major junction, two major two-level junctions and ten bridge structures, and cost up to £113m - a sum the authors do not believe represents good value for money.

However, members of the committee raised a number of points over the report, including issues about the scope of the options investigated by the engineers.

Councillors also raised concerns that the landscape of the former routes had changed significantly, with the new constraints not considered as part of the study.

The committee voted unanimously to continue to lobby for a relief road and instructed the chief executive to make representations to highways authority, Dorset County Council, and the growth board to find out more about the timescale and action for looking into the major project.

They also requested that the chief executive start the process for a public consultation on the purple route option.

Cllr Ray Nottage, leader of Christchurch Borough Council, said: "I would like to thank Dorset County Council for the report.

"The figures in it seem to point to the fact that there would be real economic growth to be had from a relief road and I am very keen for the issue to be pursued further."

Other options, including light rail, water taxis and widening of the A35, were discounted along with two other bypass routes.