Motorists face months of road chaos

Motorists and traders have been warned they face months of misery from road closures around Bewdley because of a £615,000 pipe-laying scheme.

The project, which will see Severn Trent Water laying new water mains around the town, is set to start in Winbrook Road and Cleobury Road on Monday.

It will mean lengthy delays for commuters travelling through the town with traffic being diverted via the Bewdley Bypass.

The pipe-laying scheme is part of a £2.1 million investment by the water company which is trying to cut down on leakages.

It is expected to last until the end of April and eventually help secure water pressure to 1,500 homes.

Contractors will be replacing 2.3 miles of old water pipes around the town and the first phase of the scheme is expected to last about three weeks.

During this time road diversions will be in place allowing only access to properties in Winbrook Road and Cleobury Road.

These diversions will also apply for the second phase of the works on Richmond Road which are scheduled to start on February 11.

Fraser Pithie, senior operations manager for Severn Trent, said: "We would ask the local community to bear with us while these works are being done."