Road at risk of collapsing into river, says councillor
Sam Bastow claims a section of road, in Evesham, needs to be fixed urgently or could endanger lives
A councillor says a section of road, which could fall into the river, needs to be fixed urgently, or it could endanger lives.
Sam Bastow said long-running roadworks on Worcester Road, in Evesham, are also adding to the town’s ever-increasing traffic problems.
The county councillor said a lack of action could cost residents dearly and is pressuring Worcestershire County Council to sort out the issue.
Highways bosses deny they are “waiting for things to fall into the river”.
At a full council meeting last week, Cllr Bastow said temporary lights had been in place for months, “with no sign of activity or progress” and asked cabinet member for highways, Tom Wells, to provide an update.
Councillor Wells said: “The temporary traffic signals are in place, to maintain public safety following subsidence and moving affecting the edge of the carriageway, adjacent to the River Avon.
“The location has a long history of instability and has been the subject of monitoring and maintenance intervention, over a number of years.
“Whilst previous deterioration could be managed through localised repairs, further ground movement has occurred and the affected section can no longer be maintained through routine surfacing works alone.
“The traffic signals have therefore been installed to protect road users, whilst maintaining access through the route.”
Cllr Bastow responded: “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 what it currently would do now.
“The lack of action now will cost Worcestershire and Evesham dearly, so can you commit to fixing the issue with the utmost urgency or explain why you would be happy to potentially endanger lives or inconvenience residents further with a road closure?”
Cllr 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 the option appraisal work is ongoing. The current traffic management will remain in place, while this work is completed, and until it is safe to remove the restrictions.”
Cllr Bastow told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “I was disappointed in the response from Cllr Wells, so I have written to him re-iterating my question, requesting that he commit to fixing the issue with the utmost urgency, or agree that he is happy to endanger life and inconvenience the public further, with a full road closure.
“People are still able to walk through the lane closure so God forbid the land slips when people are present.
“When the land slips, not if, it will cause more traffic issues within Evesham and that is the last thing we need when the town is already gridlocked.”