Works to start on major improvements to relieve congestion near Upton upon Severn

The works being carried out by Worcestershire County Council as part of the ongoing Relieving Congestion Programme aim to tackle the congestion hotspot at the A38/A4104 staggered crossroad junction.

Works will commence on Monday 26 July to construct a new 4 arm roundabout to replace the current staggered junction arrangement, with the western A4104 approach from Upton upon Severn being realigned to tie into the roundabout.

Facilities for pedestrians and cyclists will be improved with the provision of crossing locations on all arms of the roundabout and three metre wide shared footway/cycleways.

Councillor Alan Amos, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Highways and Transport said: “Relieving congestion at the county’s busiest hotspots remains one of our priorities and it’s great that work will start imminently to tackle known issues at this junction.

“This major scheme just outside of Upton will make a huge difference to those using the route, especially at peak periods of the day. The new roundabout will reduce queuing traffic on the A38 and provide improved access to the A4104 from the A38 and the improved shared walkway will also improve the area for those using alternative modes of transport.”

Although the majority of the works will take place off the main roads, there will be the need for some traffic management to allow the works to take place. Initially, there will be two way traffic signals in place on the A4104 or A38, only on one road at any one time. This will enable the setup of the works compound and site access. There will also be the need for some lane restrictions throughout the programme as well as the need for full road closures later on in the works for resurfacing works.

The existing junction is made up of a staggered single-lane arrangement. The A38 in this location is a single carriageway road, which runs to the M50 Motorway and Tewkesbury in the south and Worcester in the north. The A4104 is also a single carriageway road, which runs to Pershore to the north-east and to Upton upon Severn and Little Malvern to the west.

The route is important for users travelling from the M5/M50 Motorways and provides access to destinations such as the ‘Three Counties Showground’ and the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), as well as a number of events that are usually held within Upon-upon-Severn and the surrounding area throughout the year.

With the current junction arrangement, particularly during peak time traffic, queuing is generated on both the A38 and A4104. The County Council identified that the junction requires improvements to alleviate this problem and to provide more efficient traffic flows as well as providing a better junction for users.

For more information about the scheme visit the County Council website.