Proposed bypass bid scrapped

A controversial £50 million road scheme designed to take traffic congestion away from Kidderminster, Blakedown and Hagley is finally being officially scrapped.

Highways Agency officials are currently carrying out a paperwork exercise which will see the bypass proposals taken off the map to clear any possible blight for homeowners living along its route.

The road scheme was first mooted more than 15 years ago to combat congestion.

The original proposed bypass ran from the A449 south of Kidderminster, passing east of the town to cross the A456 and then north of Blakedown and Hagley to rejoin the A456 on the Hagley Mile.

It was intended to act as a feeder to the proposed Western Orbital route, a 42-mile scheme between the A449 and the M54 intended to skirt Stourbridge, Codsall, Codsall Wood, Perton, Pattingham and Wombourne.

The plan sparked fierce objections as it would have blighted homes and carved up areas of green belt.

The Highways Agency wanted to ditch the plans for the Kidderminster bypass and put in an order to this this in February this year.

However, highway bosses with Worcestershire County Council objected because they claimed there were still no other options on how congestion could be tackled.