PRIME Minister Rishi Sunak highlighted upgrades to the A5 using money from the discarded HS2 project during his speech at the Conservative Party Conference.

Mr Sunak scrapped plans to extend the HS2 to Manchester, and highlighted the alternative spending programmes that could be brought forward as a result.

He said the Government will protect the £12 billion scheme to link Manchester and Liverpool and that they will engage with local leaders on “how best to deliver that scheme”.

And in a potential boost for Oswestry he added: “We’ll build the Midlands Rail Hub connecting 50 different stations, we will help Andy Street extend the West Midlands Metro, we will build the Leeds tram, we will electrify the North Wales mainline, upgrade A1, the A2, the A5, the M6.

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“We will connect our union with the A75, boosting links between Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

The Prime Minister also said the Government would undertake "70 additional road projects", "renew road surfaces nationwide," and "maintain the £2 bus fare nationwide."

While detail on what the speech means for the A5 has not yet been established, the dualling of the A5 has been a long-term ambition of Shropshire Council.

In a previous statement Councillor Dean Carroll said Shropshire Council has an obligation to consider dualling the A5 between Shrewsbury and the Welsh border at Chirk, in order to address serious concerns over the safety of the road.

He also believes the scheme would help boost economic growth by cutting congestion, and improve transport links between the West Midlands and North Wales, the Republic of Ireland and North West England.

Commenting on the news Sir John Peace, chairman of Midlands Connect, said:“We are disappointed and disheartened by the HS2 announcement.

“We must not start from scratch, we must work at pace to deliver HS2 Phase 1 all the way to Euston. There are also lessons to be learnt from the HS2 story so far."

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He continued: “The Midlands Rail Hub and road programmes including the A5 which have been announced today resonate with us, these are our transformational East-West priorities for the region, which we recommended and have been progressing with Government.

“We are now calling for more detail on timescales and plan of action, and asking for a high-level urgent meeting with ministers, to ensure these plans and the benefits for the Midlands are delivered as quickly as possible.

“We will now work, like we always do, cross-party and in an open and collaborative way with all involved.”