26/03/2026
Herefordshire’s ‘Back the Bypass’ campaign has officially launched with Council leaders, business representatives and other stakeholders coming together to see the transformational potential benefits the scheme could bring to the county.
Central to the campaign is a new series of films, including one featuring residents and businesses, that bring to life the challenges of life without a bypass, and the opportunities that this infrastructure could bring. Other films set out new details of Phase One and how environmental impact will be mitigated, as well as high-level proposals for the full scheme.
The films were revealed at a special event held on Wednesday 25 March. Also launched were a new brochure and website that set out in more detail some of the likely benefits of the project.
The event marked a major step in consolidating widespread support for a project designed to tackle long-standing congestion, improve connectivity, and create the conditions for jobs and economic growth across the county.
The launch of the Back the Bypass campaign comes after Herefordshire Council recently announced that a contractor has been appointed to lead detailed design and early works for Phase One of the bypass.
Phase One of the Hereford Bypass, which will connect the A465 to the A49 to the south-west of the city, is already expected to deliver significant early benefits.
This 3km single-carriageway link would run across land between Grafton and the B4399, providing a modern, high-standard road that reduces commuter and freight traffic through South Wye residential areas such as Belmont, Walnut Tree Avenue, and Holme Lacy Road.
By tying into both the A49 and A465, Phase One will become a strategically important west-east link on the southern edge of Hereford, improving access to key employment destinations, including the Hereford Enterprise Zone.
Herefordshire Council has created a website dedicated to the Back the Bypass Campaign and created a video that explains the project:
We are committed to managing construction in an environmentally responsible way, ensuring Herefordshire's natural beauty is preserved for generations.
