PLANS for a new bridge over the River Severn close to Worcester have been welcomed by Malvern Hills District Council.

The bridge, next to the existing Carrington Bridge, and the dualling of the A4440 southern link road between the Powick and Ketch roundabouts, were approved this week by Worcestershire County Council's planning committee.

Cllr David Chambers, portfolio holder for economic development at Malvern Hills, said: “This decision is most welcome indeed. Improvements to the infrastructure serving this district and wider south Worcestershire are key parts of our economic prosperity priority and we have been supporting Southern Link Road improvements for many years.

"We’re confident that improved accessibility to the motorway network will help our excellent businesses get their products to market and also enable better access for their workforce and customers, in addition to improving things for people who live here and opening up new opportunities for tourism.”

Work on the £62 million bridge will take two years from next March, and will see 100 trucks a day bring in 150,000 tonnes of embanking material.

Mark Gorry of engineering consultancy firm Burroughs told councillors: “These improvements should make a 35-54 per cent reduction in journey times for those people travelling on the A4440. This will draw traffic away from Worcester city centre – cutting down congestion in the city.”

Cllr Paul Tuthill, the member for Malvern Link who proposed approval, said: "There must be a liaison committee of local members to consider the traffic issues arising from this, and I am glad my amendment to that effect was accepted.

"If there had been member oversight, we might have avoided the problems that plagued the Ketch roundabout."

At the meeting, concerns were raised about flooding, the state of the underpass to be renovated at Ketch roundabout and about the impact on traffic, often already congested, that the works may cause on the roads.

Mr Gorry said the new bridge would be built 1.5 metres from the existing bridge which would continue to be used for traffic in both directions until its counterpart was complete.

Powick resident Gerry Taggart urged planners to create a more ambitious pedestrian and cycle bridge for the Powick roundabout.

Currently the plans show a bridge to be built over the Hams Way just to west of the Powick roundabout. Walkers and cyclists will cross the roads running north and south by light controlled crossings.

Mr Taggart said: “Cyclists and pedestrians will still have to run the gauntlet of crossing very busy roads at a level crossing. There will be conflicts with vehicles.”