Wait goes on for Norwich Western Link cash decision

Norwich North MP Chloe Smith asked a parliamentary question about the status of the county council's outline business case for the road.

The government has yet to rubber stamp funding for the 3.9 mile road, which would connect the A1270 Norwich Northern Distributor Road to the A47 near Honingham.

The county council has asked the government to provide £213.4m - 85pc of the cost of the road - but is still waiting for an answer.

The inclusion of the £251m Western Link in the government's Growth Plan 2022 in September was seen as a huge vote of confidence in the controversial road.

But it remains to be seen if new prime minister Rishi Sunak will continue the policies outlined by his predecessor Liz Truss.

And the response to Conservative MP Ms Smith's question revealed that officers in the Department for Transport (DfT) are still considering whether to back the county council's outline business case for the road.

Richard Holden, parliamentary under-secretary in the DfT, said: "Officials in the department are currently completing their assessment of the outline business case which Norfolk County Council amended in September.

"Once this work has been completed, advice will be put to ministers for a decision."

The council says the scheme, which includes a viaduct over the River Wensum, will cut traffic congestion, improve air pollution and encourage economic growth.

But the project is opposed by organisations such as Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Rivers Trust, as well as the Labour and Green groups at County Hall.

The outline business case was submitted to the government in summer last year.

But the case had to be amended because the proposed route was realigned, due to the presence of protected barbastelle bats.

The need to realign the route, coupled with inflationary costs, has increased the price tag of the scheme to £251m.

That is up from the previous estimate of £198m, itself a rise on the original £153m estimate.