COMMERCIAL barges are now seen daily on the river near Upton-upon-Severn as sand and gravel from new quarry workings is carried upstream for processing.
It is believed to be the first major new freight traffic to be taken off the roads and on to the River Severn for decades.
Twenty-five thousand tonnes of sand and gravel have been dug from the Ripple-Uckinghall quarry and taken to Ryall by barge since Monday, February 21.
Two barges run between the two sites on the eastern bank of the River Severn owned by CEMEX, formerly RMC Western Aggregates.
"They are running regularly.
"Loaded barges leave Ripple seven times a day, each carrying 170 to 178 tonnes," said quarry manager Mike Roberts.
Before workings could begin at Ripple, wharves had to be built both there and at Ryall, with the aid of a £1 million grant from the Department of Transport.
Later this year it is hoped to take processed aggregate away by river to a concrete plant at Gloucester, but at present it is removed by lorry from Ryall.
"We can't do the Gloucester run until they have done some dredging work at the canal base," said regional development manager Tony Rowley.
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