BIDS for £280,000 are to be submitted to the Government to fund anti-flood measures in and around Malvern.

Worcestershire County Council wants to improve culverts in Bransford, Birtsmorton, Malvern, Bastonford and Alfrick.

The A4103 near the Bank House Hotel, which has just had £640,000 of improvements, needs another £80,000 to create extra space beneath the road to prevent "adverse effects" elsewhere on the flood plain.

Old Worcester Road in Bastonford is the subject of a £125,000 bid for similar work, while Folly Lane in Alfrick is deemed to need £10,000 worth of work. Birtsmorton's Watery Lane and Malvern's Lower Howsell Road are earmarked for projects totalling £20,000 and £45,000 respectively.

Worcestershire Highways Partnership manager Mike Davis said the measures would help keep roads open during flooding and lessen the impact of flood water on roadside houses.

The bids are part of an ongoing programme of improvements to roads throughout the county, sparked by the devastating floods of 2000. They were due to be discussed at a meeting of Worcestershire County Council's ruling cabinet yesterday (Thursday).

Also on the agenda is a timetable for three multi-million pound road improvement schemes, including highly controversial proposals to build a new slip road on to the M50 at Sledge Green.

The proposas, which appears alongside alternative plans to raise the A4104 at Upton-upon-Severn and enhancements to the southern Worcester ring road, have provoked vehement opposition from residents.

However, the council is to spend £85,000 during this financial year in consultation and feasibility studies on all three schemes and has produced a timetable for the changes.

If Government grants the money, detailed design and consultation work would take place in the next financial year with building work to start in 2005-6.