The shadow minister for transport has denied claims that a future Conservative government would scrap the Bingley relief road.

Labour MP Chris Leslie angered Tories when he suggested that planned financial cutbacks by any Conservative administration announced by shadow chancellor Michael Portillo could stop the by-pass.

Shadow minister for transport Bernard Jenkin has now written to the Telegraph & Argus at the request of David Senior, Conservative Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Shipley.

Mr Jenkin said Mr Leslie knew the bypass contract is to be awarded in 2001 and major work on the road would start four months later.

"Is he trying to make out that a new Conservative government next year would stop construction work half-way through building the bypass and cancel the scheme? Hardly!" said Mr Jenkin.

The row arose following Mr Leslie's claims that a Tory government would axe the road, which was put out to tender by the last Government and delayed for three years by Labour, despite advance work having been carried out.

Mr Senior asked Mr Jenkin to reaffirm the Conservative Party's commitment to the relief road and asked the Highways Agency to clear up the confusion over the start date.

In his reply John Kerman, Director of the Highways Agency, makes clear that relief road contract will not be awarded until "early in 2001" with the main works 'likely to start approximately four months later'.

Mr Senior said: "This means that, even if everything goes to plan, it will be next summer before construction is fully underway. There may be some preliminary work, building on the substantial preparatory works already undertaken under the last Government, but it will be the best part of a year before the bulldozers move in."

Mr Leslie told the T&A that his doubt about the future of the road under the Tories arose from Mr Portillo's planned cut of £16 billion in government spending.

Dividing that figure among the 567 constituencies would mean £24 million having to be saved in the Shipley area.

He said: "They would have to find £24 million of cuts in the Shipley constituency and it would fall on the largest capital project going (the £59 million relief road).

"They can't spend that money unless they say where it is going to come from and I was questioning their ability to finance these things.

"If not, are they going to close down old people's homes or stop spending on council houses for example?

"They have got to say where they're going to cut the £24 million. Their sums just don't add up."