Bridge work roads chaos

Bridge repairs on a major route into Kidderminster are set to cause chaos for commuters and force the closure of part of the Severn Valley heritage line.

The work on the railway bridge on Worcester Road is scheduled to start on August 16 and is expected to continue for two months. Commuters will be offered a two-mile diversion.

Visitors into Kidderminster will not be able to pass under the bridge and instead will have to drive down Chester Road South, Comberton Road and Comberton Hill.

Drivers will still be able to use the outbound carriageway on the Worcester Road. The road will closed in both directions overnight for around six days while scaffolding is erected and taken down after the work is completed.

The repair work will also force the closure of the Severn Valley line between Kidderminster and Bewdley for around seven weeks, between October 16 and November 30.

The railway was forced to close most of the line last year due to flooding.

However John Leach, marketing manager, denied this was another blow to the railway saying it was essential maintenance work that the railway had known about for two years.

It is the latest round of roadworks to hit commuters using the A449 Worcester Road. Severn Trent has only recently completed works which had resulted in temporary traffic lights on the road for several months – which led to tailbacks of up to three miles.

Worcestershire County Council highways spokesman Bob Lloyd said the Worcester Road at Hoobrook will be closed completely for three nights while scaffolding is put up and again for three nights while it all comes down.

He added: "The work is scheduled to start around August 16 and while it is going on the inbound traffic will be diverted.

"Outbound traffic will continue as normal."