John and Sarah call for urgent safety action after Carrington Bridge damage

John Renshaw and Sarah Murray have renewed calls for stronger road safety measures on Worcester’s Southern Link Road after crash damage to Carrington Bridge's barriers has still not been permanently repaired more than a month after a car accident.

The concerns were recently highlighted in the Worcester News, where St Peter’s Parish Council Chair John Renshaw and Liberal Democrat city councillor Sarah Murray spoke out about the ongoing damage and the wider need for safety improvements along the A4440.

The bridge, which carries the A4440 Temeside Way over the River Severn, was damaged when a car left the carriageway and struck the parapet during a crash on Christmas Day. Three separate areas of damage remain visible, with only temporary barriers and a concrete wall currently in place.

John Renshaw said it was deeply disappointing to see the bridge still awaiting full repairs on such a key route around the city.

“It’s disappointing to see that the damage hasn’t been repaired yet on a key route around the city,” he said.

But Mr Renshaw stressed that the incident underlined wider safety concerns along the Southern Link Road, particularly for cyclists and pedestrians using the adjacent pathways.

“The real issue is what measures the county council are prepared to take to make the Southern Link Road safer for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians alike to use,” he said.

“There are too many sections of the pedway running alongside the SLR where cyclists and pedestrians are unprotected from oncoming traffic, so additional crash barriers are required.”

He also called for the installation of average speed cameras to deter speeding and reduce the likelihood of serious crashes.

“The installation of average speed cameras would serve as a deterrent to speeding motorists,” he added.

Cllr Sarah Murray, Liberal Democrat city councillor for St Nicholas Ward, has also been campaigning for improvements to safety on the A4440, which connects Worcester to the M5.

She said the damage was a reminder of the serious consequences of excessive speed.

“Speeding is dangerous and avoidable — slow down!”

“When you see the damage that can be done to infrastructure, it’s a reminder that high speeds don’t just endanger people — they increase the severity of crashes and the knock-on disruption for everyone on the A4440.”

Police attended the two-vehicle crash near the Ketch roundabout at around 2.30pm on December 25.

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said the authority is still assessing the damage and that permanent repairs will be carried out as soon as practically possible.