A MAJOR new bridge is in use for the first time in Worcester this morning.

Worcestershire County Council has opened Carrington Bridge, over the River Severn, to traffic for the first time.

To allow the switch-over of traffic to take place onto the new carriageway Temeside Way was closed in both directions from Friday night, with some motorists reporting some traffic delays in the city as a result over the weekend.

It has been a two year wait for the project to come to fruition, after almost £55 million of government funding was awarded in 2019 with the aim to provide much needed congestion relief for residents and businesses. Work began in the March of that year.

Jon Fraser from Worcestershire County Council Highways said: "The new part of Carrington Bridge being open for traffic is huge milestone in this major scheme, we’re delivering to dual from M5 to Powick Roundabout.

"Whilst there is still more to be done on the fourth and final phase of our scheme, this marks a big step forward.

"With traffic being diverted onto the new bridge extension, it will enable us to concentrate works on the existing bridge and carriageway to improve the surface and the make the foot and cycle way much wider."