AN official bid to dual Worcester's congested Carrington Bridge has been launched - with council chiefs asking for £70 million to ease gridlock misery.

The Worcester News can reveal how Worcestershire County Council has formally approached central Government and applied for "development funding" to try and make its long-awaited dream a reality.

It also says the funds needed to enlarge the bridge by having two lanes in either direction - a major element in easing Worcester's hated jams - is "likely to amount to £70 million".

It would also see the link road - used by thousands of vehicles every day - dualled all the way to Powick island.

The formal attempt comes weeks after former Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin, who was replaced by Chris Grayling during Theresa May's reshuffle, urged the county to go for it.

If successful a dualled Carrington Bridge promises to significantly ease congestion in Worcester, Malvern and for commuters needing to reach the M5.

It would also be Worcester's biggest advancement in infrastructure since the bridge was built in 1984.

It is now used by 30,000 vehicles daily and is notorious for tailbacks.

Under the plan the county council hopes to unlock the cash from a new 'Local Major Transport Projects Fund', aimed at only the biggest and best new infrastructure projects.

Cllr Simon Geraghty, the leader, said: "Our determination to secure investment for improvements to Carrington Bridge and the dualling of the southern link represent the next phase of our plans to improve the county's infrastructure to enable the local economy to continue to thrive."

Last year Worcester MP Robin Walker invited Mr McLoughlin to see the busy bridge for himself, alongside Harriett Baldwin and Nigel Huddleston.

Mr Walker said: "This is absolutely the number one road priority for the county and it's something I've been pushing for over many years.

"I was knocking doors in St Peter's last week and people said they really wanted to see this done, and the north west link road.

"But in my view it's sequential - we've got to dual Carrington Bridge before we have that debate about other infrastructure, otherwise we ask for two things and get neither."

As part of the bid, Worcestershire's Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the county council have also formally submitted their outline business case to the fund.

The document was handed in as an 'interim submission' earlier today, with the full one due to be submitted in December.

The council has already put £7 million aside to help with the project and earmarked £1.4 million towards preparation work for it, including developing the business case, land surveys and talking to bidders about building it.

The council is deep in a long-running £41 million project to dual the rest of the A4440 which will finish in 2018, but Carrington Bridge will be untouched unless it can raise the massive extra sum.

Back in 2014 the LEP tried to get the cash for the bridge from a £1.8 billion growth fund, but nothing has been forthcoming yet.

Gary Woodman, from the county's LEP, said: "The importance of this bid cannot be underestimated."