EARLY November has been pencilled in by Worcestershire County Council for the completion of the long-awaited Wyre Piddle bypass.

The contract for construction of the new road -- valued at nearly £4 million -- was awarded to Shropshire company, Wrekin Construction, last month and, weather permitting, work is due to begin in earnest on February 25.

Then, if all goes according to plan, motorists will be using the new bypass before Christmas.

The new road will run from a roundabout at Abbey View through to the east of the Throckmorton Road on the Evesham Road, covering a distance of 2.2km and including three roundabouts and a bridge over Piddle Brook.

An archaeological dig on the site by county council archaeologists earlier this year ensured that treasures from the past, such as a Bronze Age cremation site from 3,500 years ago, will not be lost when construction begins.

Councillor John Smith, of Hampton, Evesham, the county council's assistant cabinet member for economic development and the environment, said the scheme was designed to improve the county's transport network and to improve the quality of life for residents in Wyre Piddle.

He said: "I am delighted that dates have been set for the Wyre Piddle bypass and that the contract has been awarded. By this time next year we expect to see a real difference in traffic flow around the area, improving the quality of life for residents and also for people using the bypass."

Coun Smith added: "I visited the site last month and appreciated the scale of the project. This is a major scheme for Worcestershire following years of campaigning by local people to secure funding from Government. Now that is in place, work will begin in February."