A LONG-AWAITED project to protect a key Worcester route from flooding is about to go on display to the public.

Worcestershire County Council will unveil its scheme for New Road tomorrow, saying it promises to offer the busy arterial route its best chance yet of beating the tide.

Back in 2014 the road became impassable after the main city bridge closed, with a temporary shuttle bus being used to ferry people across from St John's.

Because of its location overlooking the River Severn New Road has always been vulnerable to floods, including the cricket ground.

Back in September we revealed how County Hall intended to press ahead with the scheme next year, with the three-lane carriageway due to be raised.

An exhibition showing off the plans will be available for inspection at The Hive tomorrow.

Bosses say if a planning application is approved the work is expected to take place around September 2017, and complete by next winter.

Christian Bird, project officer for the scheme, said: "While we can never predict how much water there will be, this scheme will keep the road open for longer during flooding and it will alleviate some of the problems faced by people trying to get in and out of the city.

"We are aiming to keep people moving without the need for the shuttle buses that we’ve had to use in the past and to ensure that Worcester stays open for business."

He will be at The Hive from 11am to 1pm tomorrow, 11am to 1pm on Saturday and 5pm-7pm this Wednesday to answer questions.

The cash for the revamp is coming from a £700,000 Government grant which was handed to Worcestershire's Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as part of a blueprint to help the economy.

Worcestershire's great floods of 2007 saw 4,500 properties across the county damaged and after that £12.5 million was pumped into new defences, including Worcester's Hylton Road bund.

The last serious event was then February 2014, when just 163 properties were affected, but New Road often comes off worse than other parts of the city due to its proximity to the river.

Cllr Richard Udall, who represents St John's, has called for measures to ensure traffic moves while the work takes place, saying it already suffers from congestion.