More misery for motorists

Motorists face extra misery with more roadworks starting on Worcester Road in Kidderminster only a week after work on a bridge forced drivers on a two-mile detour.

Work on the Severn Valley Railway Bridge resulted in the closure of the inbound carriageway for almost two months. The road re-opened on Monday.

However, more tailbacks are expected, starting from Monday as Worcestershire County Council will start digging up the road to do drainage work at Torton.

This will involve three-way traffic lights on the A449 and A450 and should take five days to complete.

Worcestershire County Council Highways spokesman Lee Shrimpton said the repairs were essential. He added: "The drainage works are during the day and there will be three way traffic lights.

"We also need to do some resurfacing work but we have decided to do that overnight as there has been a lot of roadworks in Kidderminster and we wanted to make it easier on commuters. This will be done in November from 8pm to 6am."

Earlier Repair work on the Severn Valley Railway bridge started on August 15.

Tailbacks several miles long have built up during peak periods, choking the town centre with traffic.

The route beneath the bridge has been closed, with visitors and commuters having to drive down Chester Road South, Comberton Road and Comberton Hill.

Part of the Severn Valley heritage line will be closed from October 6 to November 30 while further work on the top section of the bridge and railway track continues.

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

Mr Leach said: "The repair work on the bridge was pre-planned but got delayed because of damage caused by last year's floods."