County engineering experts are investigating a plan to try and solve repeated flooding issues along the Hanley Road in Upton-upon-Severn.

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has called on the county council to take a detailed fresh look at the project following a series of road closures in the last six months.

The road is a vital link for pupils attending Hanley Castle High School as well as people travelling between Malvern, Worcester and Upton.

Upton has benefitted from two major permanent flood defence schemes in the town and last year, the Local Enterprise Partnership funded a road-raising scheme at Ryall improving flood resilience for drivers heading to and from the A38 and the M5 motorway.

Harriett stepped up her questions on the Hanley Road raising scheme after the winter floods which saw the Powick roundabout closed for two days, as well as the closure of the Carrington Road and New Road bridges in Worcester resulting in serious congestion through Upton.

The major road raising scheme is being investigated by county engineers, in co-ordination with the Environment Agency, to investigate what impact it may have on the flood wall and gate in the town.

Harriett commented: “Local people have expressed continued frustration with the regular closures of the Hanley Road during times of flooding and during the winter, the county council put on temporary shuttle buses to help pupils get to and from school.

“It has always been a long-term ambition of mine to identify a workable permanent solution and while the county is assessing further work at Powick and preparing for a new roundabout at the A38, I have asked the highways team to have a proper look at the Hanley Road raising.

“It’s a wide-reaching plan that could be very expensive to deliver but I am eager to see a feasibility study and flood modelling first, so that we can see what’s actually possible.”