TRANSPORT Secretary Patrick McLoughlin visited Worcester today - insisting there is a “strong case” to dual the congested Carrington Bridge.

The Conservative Secretary of State has given the city its strongest indication yet that a Tory Government is prepared to help fund the massive project, saying it would be “a great pity” if it did not happen.

He told your Worcester News the bridge is “an obvious pinch-point” for traffic during his visit, and accepted a letter from city Conservative Robin Walker by decision-makers in Herefordshire backing the plea.

Worcestershire County Council is spending more than £40 million of taxpayers’ cash overhauling the rest of the A4440 Southern Link Road by 2018, but not the bridge due to the huge costs.

Today’s visit was the first time Mr McLoughlin had been to see the structure, which handles 30,000 vehicles a day.

“You’ve seen how a good part of the A4440 is being dualled already, but the bridge is an obvious pinch-point,” he said.

“Look, because we’ve got such a strong economy we are able to invest in improving our infrastructure and there is no doubt this falls into the sort of project which is so vital.

“It would be a great pity not to see this happen, if the last five years are anything to go by I will say judge us by our actions.

“There is a very strong case for this to be done.”

He refused to put any likely timescales on fresh investment but said ‘pinch-point’ Government funding and the local growth fund, money awarded to Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), are two good opportunities.

“We have set aside money for road and rail infrastructure and are turning things around since Labour failed to invest in it,” he said.

“Let’s see that we get good Conservative representation here (by Mr Walker being re-elected) and across the country, we know dualling is going on at the A4440 and there’s a strong case for the rest to be done.”

Council chiefs in Herefordshire revealed last month they were joining the campaign, as did its LEP.

In Worcestershire, the county council has been doing exploratory work on the costs and £7 million is put aside.

Two weeks ago Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls pledged to be "a receptive ear" over it during a visit to Worcester, but likewise made no promises.