A FURTHER £5m has been invested into a project to relieve congestion at hotspots including Kidderminster's Hoobrook Island.

The funding was announced in January as part of Worcestershire County Council's draft budget, which has since been given the green light by councillors.

County councillors for the Aggborough and Spennells areas of Kidderminster, Nathan Desmond and Marcus Hart, say the Hoobrook Island Scheme is now being drawn up and is expected to be completed in the next 12 months.

Cllr Desmond said: "I have been campaigning for a solution to the major congestion at this island for a number of years as it affects many of the local residents that I represent and I am very pleased that additional money has been made available on top of the funding last year to enable significant alterations to the Hoobrook Island to be delivered, which will have a huge impact on tackling congestion."

Cllr Hart added: “This island is gridlocked in rush hour in both the morning and the afternoon and it was very clear that traffic flow on the A449 in and out of Kidderminster at peak times needed to be addressed.

"This will also have a positive benefit for my rural communities as I firmly believe that if the traffic flow can be improved at peak times then there will be less rat running along country lanes within the Stone Parish."

Details of the Hoobrook Island Scheme are set to be announced in the next few months.