CRUCIAL works on a narrow road have been halted - for now- after parents raised concerns it would cause chaos to their children's school journeys. 

The works on the tunnel and bridge on Red Hill Lane were scheduled to start next Monday, September 9 until Friday, September 20 - just a week after youngsters returned to school after the summer holidays.

However, the works would have prevented many students walking to and from Nunnery Wood High and Worcester Sixth Form College to access a path, meaning they would have had to take a massive detour to get to school.

Work has now been postponed until a solution is found after parents took their concerns to St Peter Cllr Steve Mackay. 

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Network Rail will be carrying out essential work on the bridge and tunnel on Red Hill Lane, with the closure enabling staff to work on the road to repair the loose brickwork above. 

A woman living near the tunnel said she could understand why parents were so concerned by a potential closure as the detour to Nunnery Wood School would add around a mile and a half to the youngsters' journey. 

She added: "Part of Red Hill Lane, on the other side, isn't for vehicles, and children walk up there every day but if they don't have access to that I don't know what they are going to do.

"I don't know how they are going to get around this problem but I hope they can.

"It will also impact vehicles trying to get out of this area of Red Hill Lane as I don't know where we would go- and I'm really not sure how emergency services would get through. 

"Maybe they should have carried out this work in the six-week summer holiday but since it has been postponed maybe the work could take place later on."

Cllr Mackay said: "Many parents have been concerned about their children getting to school or college, and if they weren't able to use Red Hill Lane, it would be quite a detour for them to get to school.

"I'm pleased that, having listened to concerns, Network Rail has considered parents' views and is willing to work with local residents.

"I think we will come to some sort of arrangement, however, I don't know what this will look like."

A Network Rail spokesperson said: "Network Rail is working with Worcestershire County Council in negotiating to find a solution to enable the essential work to begin."