THE council has confirmed it plans to use government funding for works on the A449 near Malvern.
The closure of the A449 near the British Camp is said to be a “priority” for Worcestershire County Council as it considers how to to use £5 million of its ‘Integrated Transport’ funding from central government.
It has been more than a year since the road closed, initially for repairs to a collapsed wall. There is still no confirmed reopening date after the closure had to be extended after a new landslip appeared.
Earlier this month, a Freedom of Information request to the county council confirmed that the costs associated with the closure for the wall repair had already been £2.2 million.
This did not include costs incurred as a result of the new landslip.
READ MORE: A449 closure has already cost at least £2.2 million with no end in sight
Worcestershire County Council said ground investigation works for the A449, as well as for a landslip at Rochford, had now been completed.
The authority has proposed that the £5 million of government funding goes towards the two roads.
Proposals for how the funds are used are due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting of Worcestershire County Council on Thursday, September 24.
If approved, the proposals will also need to be approved by the Department for Transport.
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What has Worcestershire County Council said?
Worcestershire County Council Highways cabinet member Councillor Tom Wells (Image: Malvern Hills District Council)
“We continue to make progress developing scheme designs for both the A449 and Rochford landslip sites,” said Councillor Tom Wells, cabinet member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council.
“The ground investigation works for both sites are now complete and we have proposed allocating £5 million from our Integrated Transport funding, from central Government, to support road safety improvements and local transport priorities.
“Our priority is completing repairs on the A449 near Malvern and the B4204 at Rochford.
“The funding proposals are due to be approved at the cabinet meeting on Thursday and thereafter submitted to the Department for Transport for final ratification.”