'Road will still be a death-trap'

The Wyre Piddle bypass will miss the spot where a cyclist died on Sunday, June 24 after being involved in a collision with a heavy goods vehicle.

The residents of Wyre Hill, on the outskirts of Wyre Piddle, say the new road, which will begin construction in February, is supposed to benefit the entire village.

"Until it's built and indeed after, this hill will still be used as an access road to-and-from the bypass," said Eleanor Creed-Miles, who lives next to the accident spot.

"The rest of Wyre will be bypassed and we won't, so the road where the cyclist was killed will remain as dangerous, if not much worse.

"We were all very shocked and upset by what happened. Sadly and ironically it proves a point that we have been trying to make for some time.

"There are lots of families with young children around here. It's terrifying to walk down the path because the lorries come so close."

The seven households and other supportive and concerned parties have formed an action group.

They have written to Worcestershire County Council and Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff to press for a proper link road.

This would be built from the bypass to the existing roundabout at the Keytec 7 trading estate.

But the residents claim that that their request has been denied and instead a "traffic management scheme" has been proposed.

"Even when the bypass is built our stretch of road is a death-trap," said Ms Creed-Miles, a mother-of-two.

"We hope this tragic accident will change their minds and something good will come out of it."

Worcestershire County Council says it has no funds available to extend the bypass.

"We're actively pursuing the extension of the road," said project engineer Andy Jenkins.

"It's on a wish list. We're not ignoring the need for it, we just don't have the funds available at the moment."

The cyclist has been identified as David Deeming, who was 60 and from Droitwich.

An inquest was opened and adjourned on Monday, June 25.