MAJOR road improvements to relieve congestion near Upton-upon-Severn have been given the green light.
The plan approved by Worcestershire County Council’s Planning and Regulatory Committee will see the busy staggered rural A38 and A4104 junction be replaced with a four-arm roundabout.
Currently the single lane layout means it is busy because the A38 runs to the M50 motorway to Tewkesbury (southbound) and Worcester (north).
The A4104 is also a single carriageway road which runs to Pershore to the north-east and to Upton-upon-Severn and Little Malvern to the west.
The western A4104 approach from Upton being realigned to tie into the proposed roundabout, there will be crossings on all four arms and 3m wide shared pavements and cycle paths.
The route is important for users travelling from the M5 and provides access to destinations such as the ‘Three Counties Showground’ and the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), along with numerous events usually held throughout the year in Upon-upon-Severn and the surrounding area.
With the current junction arrangement, queuing is commonplace on both the A38 and A4104, particularly during peak times.
As part of its ongoing Relieving Congestion Programme, the county council identified the junction as one which needed improvements to alleviate the problem and to provide more efficient traffic flows, as well as a better junction for users.
Coun Alan Amos, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways, said: “Relieving congestion at the county’s busiest hot spots remains one of our priorities as it is one of our residents’ top concerns.
“This major scheme just outside Upton will make a huge difference to those using the route, especially at peak periods of the day.”
He added the new roundabout would cut queues, provide better access and the shared walkway would make the area better for public transport users.
Work will continue in readiness for the main works set to start later this spring following the outcome of the first stages of the scheme and completion of the archaeological and environmental surveys.
