Repairs at bridge to spark gridlock

Bridge repairs on a major route into Kidderminster are set to cause misery 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 Friday and is expected to continue for two months. Drivers approaching Kidderminster will be sent down a two mile diversion – which is expected to cause holdups as it will send traffic down an already-busy commuter route along Comberton Hill.

Workers will put up scaffolding along the bridge overnight on Friday, forcing the complete closure of the bridge. It will be open again on Saturday morning – but traffic will only be able to travel southbound due to the scaffolding restricting the width of the road. The road will remain closed northbound – for people trying to get into Kidderminster – until at least October.

Motorists will instead have to drive down Chester Road South, Comberton Road and Comberton Hill. Worcestershire highways spokesman John Davies said: "There will be some tailbacks. Businesses have been informed and an alternative route is in place."

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.