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Phase 4 is the final phase of a four phase programme which has upgraded the A4440 Worcester Southern Link Road (SLR) to dual carriageway standard. Phase 4 runs from the Ketch roundabout to the Powick roundabout.

Prior to the delivery of the programme, A4440 SLR was largely a single carriageway route that was subject to congestion and unreliable journey times meaning that long distance trips currently used city centre roads to cross Worcester.

The fourth phase was the largest of the phases and comprised of:

• widening of SLR to dual carriage way from the Ketch Roundabout to the Powick Roundabout

• two new bridge structures at Carrington Bridge and at Powick Common viaduct;

• capacity Improvements at the Ketch Roundabout and junction revisions

• widening of the existing footway to a shared pedestrian/cycle route on northern side;

• Powick roundabout, new road markings, some widening of carriageway on west approach

• upgrade of dedicated left hand turn to Malvern to fully segregated facility;

• provision of a foot/cycle bridge linking the north and south cycle routes

• upgrade of pedestrian route at Ketch Roundabout for north to south improvements.

Phase 4 had the following objectives:

• make a positive contribution to local air quality, road safety, accessibility and traffic congestion.

• reduce current congestion at Powick, Ketch, Norton and Whittington Roundabouts;

• improve the resilience of the transport network to extreme weather events and unforeseen disruptions;

• support the delivery of the planned growth set out in the South Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â Development Plan;

• improve performance and attractiveness of the A4440 SLR as a bypass for Worcester City centre, helping manage traffic conditions in the centre;

• improve access to the National Strategic Road Network from areas to the west and north west of Worcester,

• reduce transport-related emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in Worcester City centre

To help us understand if constructing Phase 4 of the SLR has helped deliver these objectives, we would be grateful if you could participate in our . The survey should take about 5-10 minutes to complete.

The information you provide will be processed and collated by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council. It will be used to help evaluate the success of Southern Link Road improvements. Your response will be stored and kept securely in line with Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council's Retention Schedule. 

We comply with data protection laws concerning the protection of personal information, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

March 2024

Whether it’s reducing journey times in your car or better access for those walking, wheeling and cycling, have the improvements to the A4440 Southern Link Road had a positive impact on you?

That’s the question being asked by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council, via a survey which has been launched to gather feedback on the success of phase 4 of the scheme.

The County Council is currently working on an evaluation of phase 4 of the works, which covers improvements made between Ketch Roundabout and Powick Roundabout.

The survey closes on Friday 12 April 2024.

Phase 4 of the A4440 Southern Link Road works was the final phase of the scheme, with the fully dualled road opening up in August 2022. Phase 4 Improvements included the dualling of the road, two new bridge structures at Carrington Bridge and Powick Viaduct, the construction of Hams Way footbridge, the addition of a new underpass and a new shared use path along Temeside Way.

2 August 2023

The Ketch viewpoint in Worcester offers stunning panoramic views of Powick Hams, Worcester and the Malvern Hills, as well as improvements made as part of the A4440 Southern Link Road (SLR) scheme.

But now, whilst you’re taking in the views, improved interpretation panels have been installed, providing more information about the landscape, wildlife, and historical features on show. 

The boards also provide details about significant battles that took place in the area during the English Civil Wars; the Battle of Powick Bridge, 23 September 1642 and the Battle of Worcester, 3 September 1651. 

These new panels replace the previous ones that had begun to look tired and were out of date.

Find out more on the .

5 August, 2022 A4440 Southern Link Road now open  

The final stage of the works enabling the A4440 Southern Link Road to open between the Ketch and Powick roundabouts is now complete.

The section of the road is now dualled and the slip roads on to Carrington Bridge from the Kempsey direction and towards Malvern from the Powick roundabout are now open. 

The new shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians on Temeside Way is now also open.

The road has been opened in phases to enable motorists to familiarise themselves with the new layout.

20 July, 2022 A4440 Southern Link Road set for phased opening 

The final stage of the works enabling the A4440 Southern Link Road to open between the Ketch and Powick Roundabouts will be completed over the next few weeks. 

Once the works are complete, the road will be opened in phases to enable motorists to familiarise themselves with the new layout. The phased opening will also provide an opportunity for the final safety inspections to be carried out, some of which have to be conducted under live traffic conditions.

The ongoing works include surfacing, signing and lining, completion of the pedestrian crossings and the reinstatement of the Ketch Viewpoint. 

1 July, 2022 A4440 Southern Link Road to open this summer

The ambitious programme to dual the A4440 Southern Link Road between Junction 7 of the M5 and the Powick Roundabout is on target to fully open this summer.

The Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council works have, so far, included the installation of three miles of new road, increased capacity at the Norton, Ketch and Powick roundabouts and provision of a new bridge over the River Severn and a new Viaduct over Powick Hams. 

There have also been three new bridges and an underpass constructed for pedestrians and cyclists, together with a new wider shared -use path along Temeside Way. 

Battenhall Railway Bridge has been extended, a farm access bridge has been replaced, two pedestrian crossings have been improved and street lighting has been upgraded, as well as a flood mitigation area having been provided that is already being used by wildlife.

11 May, 2022 New underpass set to open as part of A4440 Southern Link Road improvements

The new underpass, which has been constructed as part of Worcester’s A4440 Southern Link Road improvements, is set to open later this week.

The underpass is the fourth brand-new crossing to be installed, adding to the already open Hams Way Footbridge, Crookbarrow Way Footbridge and Broomhall Way Footbridge. 

The underpass runs under Temeside Way, between the Ketch Roundabout and Carrington Bridge, and will replace the current uncontrolled at-grade road crossing.

11 February, 2022 Works continue on Southern Link Road improvements

There’s a huge amount of work taking place on one of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council’s biggest infrastructure projects; the dualling of the A4440 Southern Link Road in Worcester.

Works are ongoing on the major scheme to dual the A4440 Southern Link Road between the M5 and Powick Roundabout, as well as a number of improvements for pedestrians and cyclists.

Currently, works are focused on the section of the road between the Ketch and Powick roundabouts, with traffic using the recently opened extension of Carrington Bridge and the new carriageway along Temeside Way. Works to dual the road between the two roundabouts are ongoing, as well as on the new underpass at Ketch Roundabout, the viewpoint near the Ketch Roundabout, improvements to the cycle/footway north of Temeside Way and various maintenance works.

1 October, 2021 Another award for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â walking and cycling bridge

Worcester’s Hams Way Footbridge has won another top national design award.

The footbridge, which has been installed as part of the A4440 Southern Link Road improvements, was announced as a winner at the coveted Structural Steel Design Award.

The bridge was one of four projects to be awarded the British Construction Steelwork Association’s highest prize in the 2021 awards, held in London on 28th September.

This follows the bridge’s success in the recent 2021 Bridges Design Awards, where it won joint first place in the category for projects below £5 million.

5 July, 2021 County’s newest walking and cycling bridge now open

The latest in a long line of improvements to the county’s walking and cycling infrastructure, delivered by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council, is now open.

The Broomhall Way Footbridge, which offers a much improved crossing over the A4440 Southern Link Road in Worcester is now fully open for pedestrians and cyclists.  It provides a link between the new commercial and housing development on the south of the A4440 to Power Park in St Peter’s on the north.

1 June, 2021 Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â walking and cycling bridge wins national award

Hams Way Footbridge in Worcester has received recognition by winning a top national award for bridges, which received entries from across the country.

The new footbridge, which offers improved crossing for pedestrians and cyclists over the A4440 Southern Link Road was joint winner of The Bridges Design Award for projects below £5 million.

11 May, 2021 Traffic to flow on the new Carrington Bridge from next week

The major scheme to dual the A4440 Southern Link Road in Worcester, being delivered by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council, is set to take another step forward next week.

The newly constructed extension of the Carrington bridge will be open for the first time ever to traffic from Monday 17th May.

Vehicles will be using this new part of the bridge over the River Severn and the new carriageway along Temeside Way to enable improvement works to be made to the existing carriageway.

The steel for Carrington Bridge was lifted into place, late in 2020, and since then works have taken place on the bridge decking and surfacing to enable the upcoming switchover of traffic.

These awards, organised by Bridge Design and Engineering celebrate the ingenuity, project  management and cooperative skills of the people involved in the design, construction and maintenance of bridges in the UK.

16 March 2021 Another busy year ahead for Worcester’s Southern Link Road Improvements

Works on the A4440 Worcester Southern Link Road improvements are set to continue at pace this year.

Many major milestones have already been achieved, on what is the biggest of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council’s major infrastructure projects and 2021 will be no different.

One of the main elements of the improvements works over the next couple of months will be on Carrington Bridge. The current works are focused on the bridge deck, with works set to be complete on the bridge in the spring. The traffic will then switchover on the A4440 Temeside Way to the new bridge and carriageway, to enable the construction of the north wall, foot/cycle path widening and re-waterproofing of the existing bridge decks.

Works are also set to continue into the summer on the Ketch Viewpoint and construction of the access onto the new Carrington Bridge, as well as a range of footway and carriageway resurfacing works.

July 2022

The current focus is on completing the carriageway surfacing on Temeside Way, although works on lighting, drainage and other features continue. We expect to be able to begin the road opening process in the next few weeks. The road will be opened in phases to enable the completion of the standard technical and safety checks, some of which need to be carried out under live traffic conditions.

As the works continue, there will be periodic lane closures and the occasional full road closure to allow works to be undertaken safely. As ever, signs will be displayed ahead of any restrictions and advising of any diversion routes. We would ask motorists to observe all signage during the opening phases as the road layout will go through a number of changes.

The overall project, has so far, included the installation of three miles of new road, increased capacity at the Norton, Ketch and Powick roundabouts and provision of a new bridge over the River Severn and a new Viaduct over Powick Hams.

There have also been three new bridges and an underpass constructed for pedestrians and cyclists, together with a new wider shared-use path along Temeside Way. 

Battenhall Railway Bridge has been extended, a farm access bridge has been replaced, two pedestrian crossings have been improved and street lighting has been upgraded, as well as a flood mitigation area having been provided that is already being used by wildlife.

May 2022

A new pedestrian and cycle underpass beneath Carrington Bridge opened this month providing traffic-free access for pedestrians and cyclists travelling between the Kempsey and Worcester areas. The route is lit and will be covered by CCTV in the coming months.

Work continues on the original Temeside Way structures and carriageway including the replacement of bearings on the Carrington Bridge and Powick Viaduct. Work is underway on upgrading the pedestrian crossings on the A449 north of the Powick Roundabout and the A38 north of the Ketch Roundabout and work is also nearing completion on the Ketch Viewpoint. Further drainage, lighting, kerbing and surfacing works are taking place, including on the Ketch and Powick Roundabouts and their approaches/exits. 

Some drainage works are currently underway in Power Park, although they will be suspended during the Summer Fete.
As the works continue, there will be periodic lane closures and the occasional full road closure to allow works to be undertaken safely. As ever, signs will be displayed ahead of any restrictions and advising of any diversion routes. We apologise to residents and businesses for any disturbance caused by overnight work.

The Southern Link Road is due to fully open to traffic this summer.

February 2022

Crookbarrow Way is now fully open to traffic with two lanes in both directions between the Whittington and Norton Roundabouts. The speed limit on this section of the Southern Link Road is now 60mph.

Work continues on the original Temeside Way structures and carriageway including the replacement of bearings on the Carrington Bridge and Powick Viaduct. Work is underway on upgrading the pedestrian crossings on the A449 north of the Powick Roundabout and the A38 north of the Ketch Roundabout together with construction of a pedestrian and cycle underpass beneath Carrington Bridge. Work is also nearing completion on the Ketch Viewpoint. Further drainage, lighting, kerbing and surfacing works will take place over the next few months including on the Ketch and Powick Roundabouts and their approaches/exits. 

As the works continue, there will be periodic lane closures and the occasional full road closure to allow works to be undertaken safely. As ever, signs will be displayed ahead of any restrictions and advising of any diversion routes. Please note that a large workforce is deployed on the scheme, but this may not always be apparent as much of the current work is taking place beneath Temeside Way and a significant amount of work is being carried out overnight to minimise the impact on the travelling public.

The Southern Link Road is due to fully open to traffic later this year.

October 2021

The temporary crossing immediately to the east of the Norton Roundabout has recently been removed and pedestrians and cyclists are being redirected to use the Broomhall Way Footbridge. This has enabled all three lanes on the westbound approach to the roundabout to be opened and for the speed limits to be reinstated. Finishing touches to drainage and landscaping works are continuing in Power Park together with the installation of benches, but sufficient work has been completed to enable most of the temporary fencing to be removed.

Work continues on the original Temeside Way structures and carriageway. This comprises of improvement and essential maintenance work including the construction of a retaining wall which will facilitate the provision of a widened pathway for pedestrians and cyclists. Work is also ongoing to improve the Powick Roundabout and its approaches/exits to tie it into the widened Temeside Way and to increase its capacity. Other recent works include significant progress on the Ketch Viewpoint.

Outstanding work includes resurfacing, lining and signing throughout, completion of the Ketch Underpass, streetlighting and completion of tie-in works on the A38 together with the reinstatement of the signal-controlled crossing close to the Ketch Public House.

Recent successes include a number of sightings of wildlife taking advantage of the flood attenuation feature to the south of Temeside Way and Hams Way Footbridge has received another industry award, being named as one of four projects to be awarded the British Construction Steelwork Association’s highest prize at a ceremony in September.

As the works continue, there will be periodic lane closures and the occasional full road closure to allow works to be undertaken safely. As ever, signs will be displayed ahead of any restrictions and advising of any diversion routes. Please note that a large workforce is deployed on the scheme but this may not always be apparent as much of the current work is taking place beneath Temeside Way and a significant amount of work is being carried out overnight to minimise the impact on the travelling public.

July 2021

Over the past couple of months, the scheme has seen two major milestones achieved. Firstly, the opening of the new Carrington Bridge, which is situated alongside the original, which saw traffic travelling over it for the first time and then the opening of Broomhall Way Footbridge.

The newly constructed Carrington Bridge opened on 17 May, allowing vehicles to use the new section over the bridge and the new carriageway along Temeside Way. Works are now taking place on the original carriageway.

View over the new Carrington Bridge

Broomhall Way Footbridge is one of the final pieces of work on Southern Link Road phase 3 and was opened on 5 July. The bridge which offers a much-improved crossing over the A4440 Southern Link Road in Worcester is now fully open for pedestrians and cyclists. It provides a link between the new commercial and housing development on the south of the A4440 to Power Park in St Peter’s on the north.

Along with raising the footpaths in Power Park above the area that floods frequently, other works include the installation of a land drainage system, repositioning of the football pitch and landscaping. Some areas of Power Park remain fenced off to allow the grass to become established and further landscaping works will take place, as necessary at the right time of year.

The temporary foot and cycleway link alignment, which has been installed by the developer of the commercial and residential development, St Modwen, on the southern side of the bridge will be realigned once other works in the area are complete.

The temporary crossing, which is east of Norton Roundabout, will be permanently removed in August.

We also had good news with the Hams Way Footbridge being voted as joint winner of The Bridges Design Award for projects below £5million. The awards, organised by Bridge Design and Engineering celebrate the ingenuity, project management and cooperative skills of the people involved in the design, construction, and maintenance of bridges in the UK. This is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved and it might not be the last award, as it’s also entered for the IStructE Structural Awards, the Structural Design Awards, and the British Construction Industry Awards.

Hams Way Footbridge

As the works continue, towards scheme completion in spring 2022, there will be periodic lane closures and the occasional full road closure to allow works to be undertaken safely. As ever, signs will be displayed ahead of any restrictions, warning motorists in advance and advising of any diversion routes.

February 2021 What has be achieved so far

• fully dualled between Ketch and Norton roundabouts
• increased the size of Ketch and Norton roundabouts to improve capacity
• railway bridge extended to enable two lanes going up and two lanes going down between Whittington to Norton roundabouts
• fully dualled between Whittington and Norton roundabouts
• the opening of the Crookbarrow Way Footbridge
• the opening of the Hams Way Footbridge
• the installation of the main span of the Broomhall Way Footbridge
• completion of the works on Powick Viaduct

What’s next?

• completion of the works on Carrington Bridge
• construction of north wall and foot/cycle path widening
• replacement of bearings on Carrington Bridge
• ketch embankment stabilisation works
• completion of works on Broomhall Way Footbridge
• widening works on A38 south of the Ketch

Scheme completion

The overall scheme is set for completion in Summer 2022. This is dependent on any impact of adverse weather or COVID-19.

September 2020

Work has been ongoing to complete the installation of the ramps and steps linking to the The Crookbarrow Way Footbridge since lock down measures were lifted earlier this year. Work is now complete, and these ramps are now fully open.

Work is set to take place over the weekend of 12 and 13 September to lift into place the Hams Way Walking and Cycling Bridge.

The bridge, which will replace the current pedestrian crossing, will sit proudly over Hams Way and once complete, will allow improved crossing of this busy road for pedestrians and cyclists.

Once the bridge is installed, further work is needed before the bridge becomes operational.

To support the installation, Hams Way will be closed in both directions over the weekend. More details about timings and diversions can be found on the Southern Link Road Latest Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â page

August 2020

Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, one of the first major milestones completed back at the start of June on the SLR4 scheme was the installation of 24 concrete beams at Powick Viaduct, which will allow the bridge deck to be constructed.

The beams are the main supporting elements of the deck of the new Powick Common flood relief viaduct that will carry westbound traffic once the dualling is complete. The heaviest of 24 concrete beams weighed a massive 33 tonnes and was 20 metres long. They were moved into place using a crane, directly from the haulage lorry into position, 4 beams per day working over 6 days to complete the operation.

Take a look at this timelapse video taken over the 6 day operation.

October 2019 Crookbarrow Way Cycle Bridge and Farm Bridge

Throughout October work has progressed on the building of the accessible ramps to the north side of the foot/cycle bridge and waterproofing and surfacing of the farm bridge.
Work has also started on the installation of drainage curbs on the north verge in readiness for when the final highways works are completed.

Dualling of the A4440 Southern Link Road is one of the largest infrastructure projects to be undertaken in the county, but one of the most significant obstacles to widening the Southern Link Road was the Battenhall Railway Bridge. The bridge spans one of the busiest stretches of the road in county, just off the M5 motorway, carrying rail services from London into Worcester and Herefordshire.

The original bridge was not wide enough to span a full dual carriageway. To widen the road, it was necessary to either extend the existing bridge or demolish and replace it.

Award Winning Scheme

The innovative engineering behind the construction of this bridge has been recognised with a number of awards.

The project was a winner at the 2019 ICE West Midlands Civil Engineering Awards and won Best Large Project at the 2019 Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation West Midlands Awards. It has also been Highly Commended at the Rail Business Awards and most recently at The MJ Local Government Achievement Awards in the Highways Management category.

The train line reopened on Thursday 31 May 2018 morning and Crookbarrow Way between the Whittington and Norton roundabouts reopened - 36 hours ahead of schedule.

Planning the project

The existing rail bridge was built around 30 years ago. It was found to be in good condition with an expected life of many more decades. In theory, a new bridge span could be constructed just offline from the railway and road, then moved into position to extend the existing bridge.

With meticulous planning, the project team developed a way of securing the existing bridge while supporting ground was removed and a newly built bridge span, built onsite, was moved into position.

This animation as also shown as part of the communication plan to assist with the explanation to stakeholders and the wider public of the work involved in the scheme and, more importantly, why a key road needed to be closed.

The process is illustrated in this animation:

Before and during the works

In advance of the works, there were extensive communications with local residents, local businesses, road and rail users and the wider public.

More than 22,000 tonnes of soil were removed, 4000 person hours and 60 different pieces of significant machinery were needed to complete the bridge move.

Once moved into place, the new bridge was then fixed to the existing bridge and the area to the south is backfilled to make an embankment.

Specialist teams then carried out a trial lift of the bridge.On the evening of Thursday 24th May 2018, this section of the Southern Link Road was closed to traffic and final preparations began to move the new bridge.

See a time-lapse video of the works:

Bridge put in place

The bridge on the A4440 was moved into position on Sunday 27th May 2018 by a team of 180 engineers, marking another step closer to Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council reaching its aim of fully dualling the road from the M5 to Powick roundabout, Worcester.

The installation of the bridge followed months of work to get the area ready.

The train line reopened on Thursday 31 May 2018 morning and Crookbarrow Way between the Whittington and Norton roundabouts reopened - 36 hours ahead of schedule.

 This bridge opened on 5 July 2021

The footbridge, which will also be suitable for cyclists, links the new commercial and housing development to the south of the A4440 with Power Park in St Peter’s on the northern side.

This new bridge, which is funded by developers, provides a vital link between the new development to the south and the facilities and services in St Peter’s such as the shops, parks and the church to the north. It also improves access for people from the St Peter’s side of the road to attractions on the Norton side, enabling us to remove the temporary crossing by the Norton roundabout after completion of the bridge.

Phase 4 is the final phase of the scheme to fully dual the A4440 Southern Link Road (SLR) from Junction 7 of the M5 to the Powick Roundabout.

This final phase of work (which began in March 2019) will see the stretch of road between the Ketch and Powick roundabouts (Temeside Way) fully dualled and includes:

• construction of a new 1.9km road to the south of the current carriageway
• building of an additional bridge and viaduct next to the current Carrington Bridge and Powick Common Viaduct
• construction of a new cycle/footbridge over Hams Way, to the west of Powick Roundabout
• a new, wider cycle and footpath to the North of the current road
• introduction of a new fully lit underpass to enable crossing near the Ketch roundabout 
• capacity improvements to both the Powick and Ketch roundabouts

The car park at the Ketch Viewpoint and the service vehicle lay-by at Powick Roundabout will be closed for the duration of the improvement works as they are included within the construction site. Advanced notice of the closures was posted on site and in media releases. We apologise for any inconvenience the closures may cause you.

The Department for Transport (DfT) approved £55 million of funding towards completion of the works at the start of March 2019. Further funding for the scheme will come from developer contributions.

Full Business Case (Phase 4)

• Download: Chapter 2 Preface (PDF)
• Download: Chapter 3 Transport Modelling (PDF)
• Download: Chapter 4 Economic Case (PDF)
• Download: Chapter 5 Commercial Case (PDF)
• Download: Chapter 6 Financial Case (PDF)
• Download: Chapter 7 Management Case (PDF)

Why are you dualling the Southern Link Road?

The A4440 Worcester Southern Link Road is an essential part of Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â’s strategic road network and provides an important link between the M5, South and West Worcester, Great Malvern, the wider Malvern Hills district, Ledbury, Upton and Herefordshire.

The A4440 Southern Link Road is also an important bypass to the city centre and provides one of only two road crossings of the River Severn in Worcester City. It therefore offers an important, alternative route to the city centre.

Before work to dual the Southern Link Road between Junction 7 of the M5 and Powick Roundabout began, it was severely congested at peak times. Although the work carried out so far has started to improve the situation, the full benefits will not be realised until the dualling has been completed.

Will you be building a 'Northern Link Road'?

The case for a relief route to the north west of Worcester (including a new bridge over the River Severn) was considered as part of the development of the South Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â Development Plan's Infrastructure Delivery Plan in 2011.

This detailed technical assessment concluded that dualling the Worcester Southern Link Road (A4440) offered better value for money than the construction of a new link to the north of the city.

This is mainly due to the exceptionally high costs of construction of a completely new road vs dualling a road that already exists where funding from central government will always be prioritised.

The case for a link road to the North West may be reconsidered in the future.

Are you planning to install permanent traffic signals on any of the roundabouts?

We are not planning to signalise any of the roundabouts at present however, we will continue to monitor the Southern Link Road and may consider signals in future, together with additional signs and markings to encourage motorists to keep roundabout entrances clear.

Why is the scheme being completed in stages?

It would not be possible to fund the whole scheme in "one go" nor would it be desirable to be working on the whole scheme simultaneously as it would result in major traffic congestion. The scheme has therefore been split into phases.

When will the dualling be completed?

The dualling is due for completion in Summer 2022, subject to there being no delays due, for example, to Covid-19 or flooding.

Where's the money coming from?

The scheme is funded by a mix of central government via the Department for Transport (DfT), Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â County Council, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â Local Enterprise Partnership and contributions from developers who have to pay towards the infrastructure necessary to accommodate traffic generated by their schemes.

Why wasn't it dualled in the first place?

The level of traffic did not justify the Southern Link Road being dualled when the road was first constructed over 30 years ago.

This meant it would have been difficult to construct a business case to secure the necessary funding from central government to complete the dualling at that time.

Why are cones put out when no one is working sometimes?

Cones, signs and temporary speed limits (collectively known as "traffic management") are not only there to protect the workforce, they also used to signify to motorists a new or temporary road configuration and as such might be in use even when no-one is working on site.

What footbridges are being built?

Plans are to install two bridges between the Whittington and Ketch Roundabouts. The Crookbarrow Way Footbridge will be installed immediately to the west of the Battenhall Railway Bridge and the Broomhall Way Footbridge to the west of Norton Roundabout.

Both bridges will be suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooter users and the Crookbarrow Way Footbridge will also be suitable for horse riders. The funding for both bridges is linked to the South Worcester Urban Extension gaining planning consent.

The final phase of the scheme will also see construction of a third footbridge to the west of the Powick roundabout on Hams Way which will be suitable for pedestrians, cyclists and mobility scooter users. A fully lit underpass will also be introduced to the west of the Ketch roundabout underneath the Carrington Bridge.

Installation of two further bridges will take place between the Whittington and Norton roundabouts. The first is the private farm bridge, situated on the east side of the railway line. This bridge will provide a link between the two halves of Upper Battenhall Farm on either side of the carriageway

The Crookbarrow Way Bridleway Bridge will then be installed on the west side. This bridge, which will be suitable for pedestrians, mobility scooters, bikes and those on horseback, will provide a link between the city centre and the new Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê×ÊÁÏͼ¿â Parkway Railway Station currently being constructed just off M5 Junction 7.

Why are there three different bridges over Crookbarrow Way?

There are three bridges spanning the A4440 between the Whittington and Norton roundabouts, each with a distinct purpose and style:

• Battenhall Railway Bridge
• Private Farm Bridge
• Crookbarrow Way Footbridge

The Battenhall Railway Bridge is an extension of the previous railway bridge. It’s built to a very high engineering specification, due to carrying trains.

The private farm bridge replaced the previous bridge. It’s a substantial structure, designed to accommodate livestock and heavy farm machinery.

The Crookbarrow Way Footbridge, is a lighter structure, providing a landmark feature. It’s suitable for pedestrians, those on horseback and mobility scooters. It’s designed to be complimentary to the other bridges being constructed over the Southern Link Road, these being the Broomhall Way Footbridge and Hams Way Bridge.

Why don't you build flyovers over the roundabouts?

These have been considered previously, but the cost of building flyovers is huge (each one would cost more than £60 million to build) and it would have been almost impossible to get the funding needed.

There is also insufficient room to build flyovers along the SLR without having a major impact in local residential properties. Each flyover would need on and off slip roads in each direction in order to make it work and this would take up a huge amount of land to deliver.

Photographs and Artist Impressions

This is a gallery of both artist impressions and photographs taken during the Southern Link Road improvements. Click on the arrows to go back and forth through the image gallery.