A BUSINESSMAN in favour of the proposed Southern Link Road said it will help boost the county's economy.

Phil Collins, from Collins Design & Build Ltd in Pontrilas, said the new road will provide an accessible route for traffic from South Wales to Rotherwas, and to the continually expanding Enterprise Zone.

Herefordshire Council is seeking planning permission for the road which would run from the A49 roundabout with the Rotherwas access road to the A465 Abergavenny road, with a link to the B4349 Clehonger road.

In last week's Hereford Times, resident Kate Sharp, said the new road would be a "white elephant" and would do nothing to alleviate traffic in the city.

But Mr Collins said there is more to the road than concerns about city traffic.

He said: "Some people say the Rotherwas access road was a waste of time but a lot of vehicles use it – no question about it.

"It is not about affecting the traffic in the city, it is about improving the traffic to Rotherwas.

"The Enterprise Zone really is working and really is creating jobs. It is a substantial employer and it need to be surrounded by a good highways infrastructure."

Mr Collins said his construction business has grown over the last five years with most of the business coming from building contracts around Rotherwas.

He said at the moment they drive past the Tram Inn and turn left along a narrow road to come out by the Callow garages onto the A49 Ross Road, to avoid having to drive into Hereford and turn right along Walnut Tree Avenue, where he said the crossroad traffic lights do not let many cars through.

Mr Collins said his business generates around six to 10 journeys a day in each direction, and he said he knows a lot of other people who make the same journey.

He said: "I estimate that this road [the Southern Link Road] would save 10 to 15 minutes on every vehicle movement at the busiest times of day, from our south west corner of the county to Rotherwas or Holme Lacy, often with at least two men in the vehicle – night and morning.

"This cost over 12 months is most significant."

The planning application states the new road will provide an alternative to the most direct existing route (Walnut Tree Avenue), as well as for traffic which currently use Haywood Lane, the B4348 and other routes to avoid congestion in south Hereford.

Mr Collins said: "The next step, however many people are in denial, will be the Western Relief Road.

"How foolish will it be to build one to the left, one to the right but no road to link the two?"