THE LONG-RUNNING bid to ease congestion around the south of Worcester and Malvern has seen work completed to enable the A4440 Southern Link Road to finally open.
Although not formally opened, drivers are now able to use the dual carriageway between the Ketch and Powick roundabouts while the slip roads on to Carrington Bridge from the Kempsey direction and towards Malvern from the Powick roundabout are now open.
The new shared-use path for cyclists and pedestrians on Temeside Way is now also open. The road has been opened in phases to enable motorists to familiarise themselves with the new layout.
Coun Marc Bayliss, cabinet member for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills, said: “It’s fantastic we have opened up the road, with two lanes in both directions and with the new slip roads in use.
“With the new cycle/footway opening up too, we can now start to see the difference this scheme will make in and around Worcester, helping to reduce congestion and improve connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.
“We wanted to get the road open as soon as we could, but It’s important to note that there are still ongoing works on this scheme.”
Over the next few months there will still be some minor works ongoing on site, which include the installation of the permanent lighting on Powick roundabout, and the permanent pedestrian crossing signals north of Powick and Ketch roundabouts.
At times, to allow these works to go-ahead, there may be the need for some off-peak lane closures.
The temporary speed limits will also stay in place for the time being and there will be a need for a future short-term closure of the slip road towards Malvern, off the Powick roundabout, to allow for the removal of soil, which is intended for use on a flood risk management scheme elsewhere in the county.
Worcester’s MP Robin Walker hailed the project, which came to life after a £54.5million Government cash injection in 2017 as ‘the single biggest transport infrastructure project in the history of Worcestershire County Council’.
Mr Walker was among the first to sign a petition in 2014 calling on government and local councils to provide funding and invited the then Transport Secretary Sir Patrick McLoughlin to Worcester to see the congestion for himself.
“This road was one of the busiest in Worcestershire and I have been determined to see it improved to remove barriers to economic growth,” the city’s MP said.
“I have previously argued the problems caused by traffic in this area has been damaging enough to keep Worcester off the top spot of best cities in the country to live.
“I now look forward to seeing the benefits the new road can bring,” he added.
