A DECISION on whether Government funds will be allocated for rebuilding the viaduct at Upton-upon-Severn is due to be made this month.

Worcestershire County Council has put in bids towards the £2.5m scheme to demolish and rebuild the viaduct - now well under way.

In a letter to West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport, Charlotte Atkins, said an announcement was expected towards the end of October.

A formal decision on a supplementary bid for maintenance funding would be made in December.

"Your strong support for Worcestershire County Council's bids has been noted and will be taken into account," she said.

Sir Michael said he was delighted. "It would be quite wrong for this to be placed as a further burden on the backs of the taxpayers," he said.