New hope on relief road

The campaign for a £75million relief road between Stourport and Kidderminster was revived today in a bid to battle congestion.

The renewed calls for funds to be allocated to build the Stourport Relief Road were made as Ian Austin MP, Minister for the West Midlands, visited the area.

Mr Austin was opening a £1.5m training centre for plumbers and electricians.

Campaigners have written letters to the Dudley North MP urging him to press Government officials to commit to the long-awaited project, which has been in the pipeline for more than a decade.

It is envisaged the relief road would run from the A451 Kidderminster to Stourport road, north of the town, and around the back of Manor Farm.

The road would then cross the Hartlebury and Worcester roads before making use of the old railway line and cross the River Severn near the breakwater before rejoining the A451 in Areley Kings.

But hopes the route would soon become a reality were dashed in 2006 when the Government told Worcestershire County Council funds were not available.

Councillor Nigel Knowles, Labour spokesman for the Wyre Forest, said he was hoping to get Mr Austin on board the crusade.

"We need to have a relief road system around the town linking t1he Stourport area with Kidderminster, Worcester, and beyond," he said. "We hope that the Minister Ian Austin will support our calls and help deliver this relief road for Stourport. Local people and local businesses want an end to the traffic gridlock in the town centre."