Money could be available for Halstead’s long-awaited bypass.

The idea of the relief route first surfaced in the 1980s but nothing has ever materialised due to funding concerns.

Last week, council chairman David Hume and vice-chair Jackie Pell met with councillors Anthony Platt and Adrian Osborne of Sudbury Town Council regarding the towns’ prospective bypasses.

Sudbury has also been waiting for its own bypass for many years.

At Halstead town council’s meeting this month, councillor Malcolm Fincken said more that £800,000 was available for local highway schemes.