THE DUALLING of Carrington Road Bridge has become a step closer to reality after chiefs from Worcestershire County Council submitted a multi-million bid for funding.
County Hall chiefs say the bid for funding to the Government is in the hope they can start work on the final phase of the Southern Link – labelled ‘the most important piece of the jigsaw’.
Work would include the entire route being dualled from Whittington to Powick and could cost around £70million.
Council chiefs say the huge project will vastly reduce journey times between Worcester and Malvern and the dualling of Carrington Bridge will provide better access to the city’s growth sites such as Malvern Hills Science Park, QinetiQ and the National Cyber Skills Centre as well as supporting employment and housing growth in nearby areas.
The scheme is expected to improve employment opportunities across the county, by increasing the size of the accessible work force and increasing the number of accessible jobs.
Calls have been made to improve journey times into Malvern for the past two years with West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin leading the fight.
News of the funding bid comes as council leader Simon Geraghty said he remains confident about the economic prosperity of the county in the wake of Britain’s exit from the EU.
He said: “Our determination to secure investment for improvements to Carrington Bridge and the dualling of the Southern Link Road in Worcester, represent the next phase of our plans to improve the county’s infrastructure to enable the local economy to continue to thrive.
“Worcestershire has one of the fastest growing economies in the country. This proposal, which we have developed in partnership with the LEP, demonstrates the confidence that we have in Worcestershire’s economy and in its ability to continue to grow and to create new jobs and opportunities for people who live and work in the county.”
The Southern Link Road provides an important link between the M5, South and West Worcester, Great Malvern, the wider Malvern Hills District, Ledbury, Upton and Herefordshire.
Phases one and two are already complete and included improvements to both the Whittington Roundabout and Ketch Roundabout. Phase Three is currently underway.
Gary Woodman, chief executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “The importance of this bid cannot be underestimated as it is crucial to support our businesses and we recognise that the economic benefit of our £16.4m investment in the Southern Link Road through the Government’s Growth Deal will only be fully realised with the completion of the dualling of Carrington Bridge.
“Furthermore, this scheme is fully supported by partners and businesses, as well as neighbouring areas with Herefordshire Council and Marches LEP endorsing the bid, and so the fact that the County Council is submitting this proposal today is good news for the whole region.”
