The council's flagship road improvement, the Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP), has become the subject of renewed political criticism after councillors revealed it will not meet previously publicised deadlines.
Promises missed and questions raised
The authority had told residents the scheme would be completed by the end of this year and remain on budget under the former Reform administration. That claim has since been undermined by councillors who say concerns about potential delays and cost increases surfaced almost immediately after the commitment was made.
Members of the new Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent administration have been probing project files since taking control in May and say the information they uncovered was worrying.
"What we have found out by asking the questions and doing the work has dismayed us,"
said Councillor Josh Robinson, who added the new administration moved quickly to scrutinise council business to avoid repeating the previous 9 per cent council tax rise introduced under Reform.
Residents left uninformed, say councillors
A formal request to extend the project was made in April while Reform councillors still led the county council, councillors have said. They complain the public was not told at the time.
"This is totally unacceptable, residents will be rightly fuming with this news today,"
said Councillor Sam Evans, describing earlier work on Regents Park Road as "unwanted and unnecessary" and accusing Reform of failing to get a grip on the scheme.
Council position and context
Worcestershire County Council's website sets out the case for the scheme, noting the A38 through Bromsgrove has suffered long-standing congestion, particularly at peak times. The council says boosted housing and future development will increase traffic pressures unless action is taken. The BREP is presented as a "major investment" intended to improve traffic flow, reduce delays and make travel safer and more reliable.
Councillors have since held urgent meetings with officers to review the position and potential financial implications.
- Project: Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP)
- Originally promised finish: End of this year
- Extension request: Formally made in April
- Political context: Change of administration in May from Reform to a Green/Liberal Democrat/Independent coalition
| Event | Timing |
|---|---|
| Formal request for project extension | April |
| Administration change at county council | May |
| Publicly promised completion | End of this year (previously) |
Opposition councillors compared the unfolding situation to the troubled national HS2 project, arguing the BREP is becoming a prolonged and costly local headache. "With further delay and the cost implications to this, this is becoming like the HS2 of Worcestershire," Councillor Robinson said, adding that residents "have been ignored for too long".
The controversy centres as much on process and transparency as on timetable and money. Councillors from the incoming administration say their early scrutiny work exposed issues that should have been better managed and communicated.
Officers and cabinet members are expected to provide a fuller update after ongoing meetings. For residents who rely on the A38 and local junctions every day, the outcomes will matter for travel times, safety and the council's broader spending priorities.
