IT took me about half-an-hour to travel down the Bewdley By-Pass - maximum miles per gallon 18.4 (normally 50+).

Multiply this by the hundreds of motorists who endure this on a daily basis and the cost in wasted time, fuel and pollution is horrifying.

We’ve had weeks of this. If, as forecast, the work at Beales Corner is going to take 22 months then it’s time for the planners to have a rethink.

If two-way traffic controlled by lights is not feasible on the bridge then the existing direction of the single file should be reversed.

Getting into town is not such a headache.

Secondly, the delays on the bypass are caused mainly by the traffic lights on the main road at the bottom.

These allow a priority right turn to access the school and the sports centre. It is no longer a through route so suspend this priority for the works.

Traffic can proceed to the roundabout and do a U-turn.

Traffic heading for Kidderminster, Stourbridge and the Black Country must be given priority.

More radically, the bypass could be turned into two lanes down using traffic cones, etc, like is done when verges are being mowed.

Traffic would have to merge into one lane to negotiate the bridge and the roundabout but if traffic is moving freely on the main road drivers will soon sort out priorities as they always do.

I’m sure others will have ideas on how to improve the current situation but traders are already feeling the pinch so unless something changes the usual surge in summer visitors will not happen when they learn about the ‘faff’ getting in and out of Bewdley.

There are plenty of other towns and villages along the Severn.

Dave Hadley

Bewdley

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