Worcester City improvements

Worcester City improvements

Worcester's attractive location by the River Severn is also a major constraint to east-west movement, as there is only one vehicular bridge within the city boundary.

The Worcester bid delivered improvements focused on tackling known congestion 'pinch points' and inefficient junctions along the main A44 west-east axis through the City Centre. This included sections between St Johns and Sidbury, as well as Croft Road to the north and key approaches to these areas.

The completed scheme included investment in traffic signals to improve network efficiency, waiting restrictions to regulate and maintain free flowing traffic along these key corridors, measures to tackle poor local air quality and 'town centre' improvements to improve facilities for pedestrians and cyclists and improved highway design.

In both St Johns and Sidbury, the investment improved the setting of historic buildings, and created a more attractive environment to nurture and support local economic activity.

Croft Road Improvements

This scheme started in May 2019 and was completed in June 2019.

The aim of the scheme is to improve traffic flow in the area and provide a safer crossing for those who use this busy road

The improvements included the upgrade of the existing uncontrolled (Zebra) crossing to a controlled pedestrian and cycle (Toucan) crossing, removal of the existing roundabout near the entrance to the Cattle Market Car Park and an improved road alignment with updated car park access. To enable this the old mini roundabout was removed.

Pheasant Street

The work to install a signalised pedestrian crossing on Pheasant Street, near Asda in Worcester is now complete. This crossing replaces the previous zebra crossing.

This scheme follows improvements at Sidbury and Croft Road in Worcester.

Sidbury Improvements

The improvements on the Sidbury Junction are now complete. Work began in June 2019 and finished in date month and included the replacement of the almost 50-year-old traffic light system with signals that use the latest technology. The new signals regularly monitor traffic conditions and adjust how long a particular light remains green based on the level of traffic. Tackling congestion using the £5m pledged by Cabinet in addition to £6.6 million won as part of a bid to Department for Transport. The Sidbury Scheme is part of this.

To improve traffic flow along the City Walls Road from the north, the approach lanes were extended to enable vehicles to get into the correct lane earlier.

Improvements were also made for pedestrians and cyclists with the installation of a new signal-controlled pedestrian crossing, at the northern end of Commandery Road and a central refuge to make it more user-friendly for pedestrians.

St John's Improvements

These works are now complete

This scheme is part of our Relieving Congestion programme in Worcester.

The St John’s improvements included:

  • a new two phase signal controlled crossing at the junction with New road/Tybridge St
    • This signalised junction includes advanced technology to enhance bus movements through this junction and into the City. The signals regularly monitor traffic conditions and adjust how long a particular light remains green based on the level of traffic. As the new facility offers a safe route for pedestrians crossing in the area, the bus lane was removed to allow  new stop lines need to be introduced and the road space reallocated to the wider driving community.
  • improvements to the existing crossing point on Henwick Road near to the limited waiting parking bay
    • This was widened to allow a safe waiting area for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and parents with double buggies etc when crossing the road between the shopping area and St Clements estate. A further formal uncontrolled crossing point across Bush Walk was introduced to allow safe access to and from the new push button crossing over the A44.
  • new signal technology, helping the signals to work more efficiently with the surrounding junctions to streamline which routes get priority in quieter times
  • wider footway, where possible, by moving Kerb lines and full wide traffic lanes in areas where pinch points created congestion and delays
  • the removal of the old A44 traffic segregation island just west of Henwick Rd junction to allow this area to have two continuous lanes of traffic travelling towards the west
  • removal of the narrowing pinch point as traffic travels from New Rd/Bromwich Rd into St John’s where the kerbing/footway can be altered to allow two side-by-side lanes to continue up the hill and through the area
  • new block paving on the footways on both sides of the road between Henwick Rd/Bromwich Lane and Bromyard Terrace/Malvern Rd 
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