THE county council’s plans to add two lanes to an A-road north of Powick have left residents fearing “horrific” levels of extra traffic outside their homes.

Dozens of villagers attended a public meeting at the parish hall on Wednesday (January 24) to voice their concerns about phase four of the project to dual the Southern Link Road.

The latest stage, if approved by planners, will see the dualling of A4440 Temeside Way between the Ketch and Powick roundabouts, including bridges at Hams Way, Powick Common and the Carrington.

Mark Gorry, associate director of engineering consultancy firm Burroughs, gave a presentation on the scheme, while Ken Pollock, county cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, was also present at the meeting.

Karen McPhie, who lives on Malvern Road, off Powick roundabout, said she felt not enough had been said about the “flow of traffic” resulting from phase four.

“My concern is that the bottle neck at the Ketch, currently, which sits across three lanes and ends up as one massive queue in the middle – all that bottle neck is going to do is add up outside my house and the village at the bottom end.

“You have a two-lane road with the majority of the traffic coming from Malvern; that two-lane road is then going to back up because we’re on a 30mph limit from 60.

“You can’t have all of that traffic coming on a two-lane road and coming through our village.

“All we’re going to do is have a huge traffic jam sitting outside the villagers’ houses.”

Mrs McPhie went on to say she has lived in the village for five years, and has since been diagnosed with asthma.

“I truly believe, having lived in the West Malvern area and come to live here, that pollution has made me unwell. It concerns me greatly.”

Other concerns raised included issues surrounding cyclists and pedestrians having to cross Powick roundabout at ground level, as well as increased flood risk, with the extra lanes to be partly built on a floodplain.

Cllr Andrew Lamb, parish council chairman, said: “For me, if you are taking land away which normally has water occupying it in certain circumstances, it’s got to go somewhere.

“What we’re asking is can we be convinced where that water is going to go, is properly predicted?”

Villager Gerry Taggart said despite there being “more impact here than elsewhere” there’s been “no official exchange of information with us”.

“No politician has explained how the project will unfold. There may be benefits for Worcester city but there are costs to Powick,” he added.

Mr Taggart called for an open consultation with residents before plans for phase four are submitted.

Councillors on Worcester City Council’s planning committee discussed the proposals of the county council at a meeting in the Guildhall