Work starts to revamp Roman road

A Roman road was discovered underneath the existing stretch

Work has started on a £4.5m scheme to improve a road covering a 2,000-year-old Roman highway in Hereford.

Workers will upgrade 1.5 miles of road between Tillington Road and Stretton Sugwas.

Archaeologists uncovered part of a Roman road underneath the modern stretch during a survey which was carried out ahead of improvement works.

The cobbled roadway linked the former Roman town of Kenchester to the settlement at Stretton Grandison.

'Significant milestone'

Cremated human remains and luxury Roman pottery was also discovered underneath the road.

Councillor Mike Wilson, from Herefordshire Council, said it had been many years since Hereford had seen a road improvement scheme of this scale.

"After five years of planning and preparation, the start of the work on the main construction contract marks the most significant milestone of the project, which remains on target for completion in Spring 2005," he said.

"The western end of the A4103, Roman Road, is at long last to be brought up to an A-class road standard from being a narrow lane that regularly flooded and was very difficult to maintain."