End is in sight for £10m flood defence project in West Midlands town
Work on Bewdley's multi-million pound new flood barrier defence scheme is making good progress with construction reaching the final stages.
Environment Agency contractors are carrying out work at Beales Corner as part of efforts to reduce flood risk for homes and businesses and keep the main Kidderminster and Stourport roads into the town open when the River Severn breaches its banks. It is hoped that the permanent scheme will operate at a "higher standard" and with "greater resilience" than the previous temporary barriers.
Bewdley councillor Dan Morehead posted on Facebook: "The Beales Corner Flood Risk Management Scheme has been progressing well. We are now in the final stages of finishing the construction work. The contractors have been working hard to enable the Kidderminster Road and Bewdley Bridge to open to two-way traffic as soon as possible.
"If they can successfully lay some specialist-coloured tarmac on week commencing July 28, Bewdley Bridge will be opened again for two-way traffic on Friday, August 1.
"This specialist tarmacadam requires dry conditions and cannot be laid in the rain, so they are hoping for good weather that week. The Stourport Road will remain closed into September with the formal opening of the flood scheme currently being planned for early in the month. The project team will further update again at the beginning of week commencing July 28 with more details."
The scheme started in 2023 with £6.2m earmarked by the previous government. This was followed by the distribution of extra UK funding aimed to better protect 52,000 properties from flood risks.
