Lives at risk if road not fixed, councillor warns

A stretch of road at risk of collapsing into the River Avon must be repaired urgently before it endangers lives, a councillor has warned.

Councillor Sam Bastow, who represents the town, said delaying repairs on Worcester Road, Evesham, could also leave taxpayers facing a much larger bill.

At a full council meeting, he suggested temporary traffic lights had been in place for months with "no sign of activity or progress" and asked Councillor Tom Wells for an update.

Worcestershire County Council's highways chief insisted the authority was not "waiting for things to fall into the river".

Wells said: "The temporary traffic signals are in place to maintain public safety following subsidence and movement affecting the edge of the carriageway adjacent to the River Avon."

He explained the site had a long history of instability and that more significant ground movement meant the road could no longer be maintained through routine repairs alone.

Bastow replied: "When, not if, the land slips into the Avon, endangering lives, it will lead to a full road closure, causing yet more traffic issues in Evesham.

"I'd imagine it will cost a lot more to fix when it does slip than it would now. The lack of action now will cost Worcestershire and Evesham dearly."

He asked whether the council would commit to fixing the problem as a matter of urgency or explain why it was willing to risk further disruption and potential danger to the public.

Wells said: "We're not just sitting here waiting for things to fall into the river.

"Officers are working with specialist geotechnical engineers to better understand the extent of the problems and assess long-term solutions.

"Investigations and option appraisal work are ongoing. The current traffic management will remain in place until this work is completed and it is safe to remove the restrictions."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.