MAJOR infrastructure projects and road maintenance schemes in Worcestershire - including two in Bromsgrove - will go ahead during lockdown, the council has confirmed.

Worcestershire County Council says improvements to the A38 in Bromsgrove to relieve congestion and walking and cycling improvements in the district will go ahead as planned.

While the majority of the county council's road schemes were halted last March during the first lockdown, key milestones such as the installation and opening of Hams Way Footbridge over the A4440 Southern Link Road, completion of the Worcester town centre improvement works in Pump Street, the completion of works to tackle congestion in the Churchfields area of Kidderminster, and the opening of the refurbished Kidderminster Station have been delivered since restrictions were lifted back in June.

The projects that remain in action include works to dual the A4440 Southern Link Road in Worcester from the M5 to Powick roundabout, the A38 improvements at junction 1 of the M42 in Bromsgrove to relieve congestion, and works on the Pershore Infrastructure Improvement Scheme to improve the traffic flow in and around the area.

In addition, several planned schemes are set to commence in the coming months including improvements at Hoobrook Roundabout in Kidderminster, walking and cycling improvements ahead of the Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme and further works in Redditch, as part of the Town Centre Improvement programme.

Councillor Ken Pollock, Worcestershire County Council's cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: "We have some really important projects happening across the county and it’s great news that work continues on these.

“Our contractors already have a number of measures in place to ensure work can be undertaken safely. These are kept under review and will remain for as long as needed.

“The projects that we have already managed to deliver during the pandemic is a testament to the hard work of the teams involved.”

The county council’s road maintenance teams are also able to continue their work keeping the county’s roads in good working order.

All ongoing and planned works will follow the Highway Sector’s Site Operating Procedures with regard to the control of Covid-19.