COUNCILLORS from Malvern are calling for improvements to one of the town’s most important link roads.

Malvern Hills district councillors Paul Bennett, Caroline Bovey and Richard Whitehead are all calling for action to be taken on Mayfield Road, a link between Sherrards Green and Townsend Way, which sees thousands of cars every day.

Following last month’s flooding, many parts of the road surface are covered in holes and there is a large amount of mud and water still on the surface.

Cllr Bennett called for a re-think on the way the road is used, especially with regards to the impending South Worcestershire Development Plan, which will see hundreds of houses built nearby.

“There is a short but vital part of Pickersleigh’s road network missing and residents, especially the children living here, are unfairly subjected to serious levels of pollution produced by the thousands of vehicles using our estates on their journeys.

“This has to stop. We need a new sustainable two-way road from Sherard’s Green to Townsend Way, no ifs no buts, if there is to be any more development added to the east of Pickersleigh going forward. It’s been needed for years and the problems here cannot be ignored any longer.

“For over 15 years the traffic has built up and now has almost destroyed sections of this tiny rural one-way lane, with no pavements, which regularly floods and becomes impassable.

“You would think something would have been done over the years to deal with the danger and inconvenience but, unfortunately, it has never been a priority.”

Cllr Bovey said there was a risk the area could become a forgotten area of Malvern, saying: “Huge amounts of traffic, which includes heavy lorries, is now funnelled down Pound Bank Road into Mayfield Road and this will get considerably worse when new homes are built adjacent to it.

“This results in high levels of pollution and poor air quality as well as extensive damage to verges.

"At a time when councils are introducing measures to go carbon neutral and environmental issues are paramount, the environmental damage to this area is shameful and remains overlooked.

“Mayfield Road was used by many pedestrians and cyclists at one time but it is now impassable and very dangerous to such road users.

“Frankly, if Mayfield Road was in another part of Malvern, this level of damage would never have been allowed to happen let alone continue unchecked. It is an absolute disgrace.”

For changes in how a road is used, district councillors can speak to their county councillor to help them with an application to Worcestershire Count Council, the highways authority.

County councillor Alan Amos, cabinet member with responsibility for highways, said: “We can confirm that Mayfield Road is part of a routine inspection programme. The last routine inspection was August 2019, however the road was also inspected on the 24th February following a public enquiry.

"The road has maintained its condition well since it was last treated and will be reviewed for future schemes on an annual basis.”