WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has called for urgent action to improve performance at the county council highways department as a number of major road projects see further delays.
The project to repair the A449 over the Malvern Hills is facing further major delays and the plan to fix the collapsed B4204 at Upper Rochford is still on the drawing board.
The MP has written to Councillor Tom Wells, who is now in charge of Worcestershire County Council’s highways and transport portfolio and urged him to get a ‘swift grip’ on the vital delayed projects.
Dame Harriett said: “Worcestershire County Council’s highways team used to have a good reputation for delivery and we’ve seen some major construction projects completed over the last decade including the impressive Southern Link Road and doubled Carrington Road bridge.
“When Reform took over control of the council, the highways budgets were slashed, major projects were cancelled and council tax was put up, but all my constituents have seen is poorer service and major repair delays.
“There is now a new set of councillors running the council and I have called on Councillor Tom Wells to get the highways team pressing on with repairs at Upper Rochford and the re-opening of the A449.
“With higher council tax bills should surely come better services and faster delivery and there are a series of major highways projects that need urgent intervention this summer.”
A spokesperson for Worcestershire Count Council said the A449 was closed as an emergency due to a risk of collapse, with public safety the overriding priority.
They confirmed the timing was outside of the councils control and the complexity of repairs has extended the closure, impacting previously planned works.
They added: “The A4103 closure relates to developer-led works which now need to proceed, following over 12 months of delays to enable coordination of all planned highway works whilst trying to minimise disruption.
“We recognise the diversion is lengthy and disruption unavoidable. A signed A-road diversion will be in place, with clear signage and ‘unsuitable for HGVs’ warnings where needed.”
