3PM UPDATE:

A MULTI-MILLION pound funding package to ease Worcestershire's congested motorways has been described as "brilliant" - as the attention turned to Worcester's Carrington Bridge.

Your Worcester News can today reveal how politicians are going cap-in-hand to Chancellor George Osborne to lobby him once again over the A4440 bridge ahead of Wednesday's autumn statement.

It comes after Worcestershire was awarded a massive cash injection today promising to overhaul the entire motorway route from junction 4a (M42) to seven (Worcester South), opening up the hard shoulder for the first time at peak periods.

The package includes a complete reconfiguration of the junction six (Worcester north) roundabout, easing tailbacks towards Warndon and Claines and allowing the £120 million Worcester Technology Park to be developed as a UK-leading employment site for 5,000 jobs.

It will mean the first serious change to the junction six roundabout since it was first constructed - during which time the number of cars approaching it in all directions has increased seven-fold, causing serious congestion headaches.

The development of the massive technology park was seen as a tipping point by the Government.

Today's announcement is part of £1.4 billion of road improvements to motorways and A-roads in the West Midlands and £15 billion nationally, as part of a 'pre-autumn statement' by the Coalition.

The Carrington Bridge is estimated to cost around £70 million to dual, and is still pending Government backing.

Today's funding concentrates on core traffic routes deemed to be barriers to economic growth at a national level.

Worcester MP Robin Walker said: "It's very good news we're getting these improvements, although I'd liked to have heard something on the southern link (Carrington Bridge) and we must carry on pressing that case.

"The work to junction six will really help support the technology park and resolve a lot of the traffic problems around that area.

"Clearly there's been capacity problems at junction six, Warndon in particular has really suffered so this is very positive.

"Even if the autumn statement doesn't deliver on the Carrington Bridge, we've got the Government's growth fund and other 'pinch point' funding to aim at, we must keep making the case."

Mr Walker said he was aiming to raise the Carrington Bridge in parliament later on this afternoon.

At lunchtime today he released a fresh statement saying he was "sorry" to see Carrington Bridge not included today.

He said: "Whilst I am sorry not to see a major expansion of the investment in the Southern Link today, I am hopeful that this can still be achieved through future announcements, pinch point funding or through the local growth fund.

"After over a decade of stagnation in our local roads infrastructure under Labour, it has been good to see the investment already going into dualling significant stretches of the Southern Link Road and raising the road at New Road to improve flood resilience.

"I want to see still more and I will keep campaigning for full dualling, including of the Carrington Bridge.

“It is absolutely right that the Chancellor has prioritised spending on transport infrastructure with the planned growth in employment and housing that we have set out for the next few years in Worcestershire we are going to need even more investment in our roads network."

Councillor Joy Squires, Labour's Worcester parliamentary candidate, said: "Congestion in Worcester is a major concern for businesses and residents alike.

"Without the dualling of the Carrington Bridge the millions spent on the southern link will be wasted and there will continue to be bottlenecks and long delays.

"Robin Walker made much of holding private talks with George Osborne to press the case for this essential project but clearly failed to make the case."

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin, meanwhile, has urged the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to "press harder" for the bridge again.

She said: "I formally supported the LEP’s strategic plan which included calling for funding to this vital road link.

"Our long-term economic plan depends on fit-for-purpose infrastructure and this bridge improvement project is a crucial part of our future growth plan.

"I have pressed the Department of Transport to invest in the dualling of the Cotswold Line and reduce the pressure on the road network.

"It is also vital that the county council continues to deliver faster broadband to allow those people who can work from home to do so.

"But the road network does need urgent improvement and the LEP now needs to work closely with the Department for Transport and make a clear case for funding for this project."

The county council says the motorway improvements are a major step forward for the roads network.

Councillor John Smith, cabinet member for highways, said: "I'm certainly very pleased, particularly with the technology park - we all know how congested our motorway can get.

"We are all hoping for something on the Carrington Bridge but this motorway improvement is a big step forward in the meantime."

Sir Peter Luff, who represents Mid-Worcestershire, said: "I'm delighted, it's fantastic news.

"We all know that part of the M5 can be a nightmare to drive, there are regular jams and this will make it faster and safer.

"Improving Junction 6 will help unlock the economic potential of Worcestershire, it will be transformational for employment - it's also great news for Worcester Warriors."

Junction 4a to six of the M5 will become a 'smart motorway', where the hard shoulder can be used at busy periods and variable speed limits introduced to avoid bottlenecks.

The Government says junction six's approach roads will get a "significant expansion" to avoid queuing around the roundabout near Sixways.

Junctions five and seven will also have their capacity increased with some kind of reconfiguration work.

The Department for Transport said more details about the timescale for the work are still being finalised.

The West Midlands region will benefit from 17 new schemes in the £1.4 billion cash injection, creating an estimated 900 construction jobs.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said: "Roads are key to our nation’s prosperity. For too long they have suffered from under-investment.

“This Government has a long term plan to secure the country’s future and this £15 billion roads programme is demonstration of that.

"It will directly benefit hardworking families across the West Midlands."

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander, said: "World class infrastructure is vital if we are to build a stronger economy, but it matters in other ways too.

"It invigorates communities and gives people more opportunities to get on in life."