Warning issued over bridge if repairs are delayed

Powick Old Bridge has been closed since its partial collapse at the end of 2024

Councillors have suggested delaying repairs to a flood-damaged medieval bridge, despite warnings that any setbacks could lead to its collapse.

Powick Old Bridge in Worcester has been closed with repairs taking place since it suffered a partial collapse last winter.

Worcestershire County Council has approved a full £5m project to restore the bridge, with funds coming from the council's capital programme.

At a council meeting last week, Green councillor Martin Allen called for external funding while Conservative Adam Kent described it as a "massive cost". However, finance chief Rob Wharton said the council could not "sit and wait".

Mr Allen suggested working with Natural England or "somebody else" to fund the project, rather than "taxpayers having to fork out".

And Mr Kent said Reform had "magicked five million quid for Powick Bridge".

He added: "We all want to see the bridge restored, there's no doubt it's a huge asset for Worcestershire.

"But obviously it's a massive cost and we're looking at saving the pennies in every way, shape or form."

Mr Wharton said the bridge had not been removed from the capital schedule because of "the immediacy of the works involved", adding: "We can't sit and wait for 12-18 months."

Alan Amos, cabinet member for business and councillor for Lower Wick, said the council would be putting in a bid to the National Lottery.

"But getting to the stage where we're ready to put in a bid and then getting a decision could be a year or two," he said.

"We can't really wait until the bridge falls down, then we won't get any money at all.

"The money is there in any case. And I urge members not to see this as a burden – we should be proud we've got this medieval bridge.

It's one of the oldest and most historic bridges in Europe."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.