A ROAD is being raised in a bid to prevent flooding.

Worcestershire County Council will raise a section of the A4104, in Upton, by almost a metre to tackle flooding.

The work will focus on a 530-metre stretch of the road, which will be widened and undergo drainage improvements.

Construction will start in October and is due to finish in April.

Cllr Paul Middlebrough, who represents Upton on Worcestershire County Council, supported the scheme.

He said: “[The project] is going to make sure Upton stays open if water levels are as high as they were in 2014.

“Large schemes take time and inevitably cause frustration to motorists.

“I want to make sure roadworks are kept to a minimum over the Christmas trading period.

“My job is make sure the county council keep Upton residents, businesses and road users up to date on progress and what disruptions are likely.”

Mike Morgan, the district councillor for Upton, said: “The raising of the A4104 is achievable and means that a strategic route across the River Severn is kept open in time of flood.

“The A4104 does flood on a fairly regular basis. The Upton Town Partnership recently held an open meeting which was attended by approximately 35 residents.

“The vast majority of which were welcoming of the improvements, and thanked Worcestershire Highways for their considerate timing of the works, avoiding the peak season in the town.”

A Worcestershire County Council spokesman said: "Over 500 metres of the road will be raised by up to a maximum of just under a metre and it will also be slightly widened and realigned at the same time.

"The road will be able to stay open to traffic if there is another flood up to at least the height reached in 2014.

"The scheme, which is being funded by the Local Enterprise Partnership and Worcestershire County Council, is scheduled to be constructed between October 2017 and April 2018 in order to avoid the busy summer season of festivals in the town and the bigger events at the Three Counties Showground."