ONE of the busiest stretches of road in the county will be closed over the weekend while an access bridge is demolished, paving the way for a new dual carriageway.

Signage has been installed on the A4440 Southern Link Road (SLR) warning motorists that the route will be closed from 2am on Saturday (November 25) until 6am next Monday (November 27).

The £70million dualling is one of Conservative-led Worcestershire County Council’s big flagship projects and is scheduled to run until early 2019.

Over the weekend, the farmer’s access bridge, next to Battenhall Railway Bridge (BRB), will be dismantled and earthworks undertaken before a new railway bridge can be built.

This will allow for the dualling of the SLR, which runs between junction 7 of the M5 and Powick roundabout, and accommodates more than 30,000 cars every weekday.

Work will enable the two 'uphill' lanes from Norton to Whittington to run beneath the existing BRB and two new 'downhill' lanes (from Whittington and Norton) to run under the new bridge.

The bridge extension is scheduled to take place towards the end of next spring but significant works, including those scheduled for this weekend, have to be carried out beforehand.

The development of the SLR, which first opened in the 1980s, will improve access across to the river in Worcester, improve journey times to Malvern and further west to Herefordshire and mid Wales.

Initial phases of the project have seen preparation works completed on Whittington Roundabout, as well as improvements to the Ketch Junction, while a later phase will see the dualling of Carrington Bridge.

Cllr Ken Pollock, cabinet member with responsibility for economy and infrastructure, said: “These essential works mark another step towards dualling the road between Powick roundabout and the M5.

“By dualling the whole route, it will improve journey times and the reliability of journeys for people.

“We know the closures may cause some inconvenience to drivers and residents and we apologise in advance but these works are essential.”

Alternative routes will be signposted for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians, however, Broomhall Way, St Peter's Drive and Norton Lane will remain open.

If the work is postponed due to adverse weather conditions it will take place the over the weekend of December 9 and 10.