THE COUNCIL would be "building a dual carriageway through the heart of St John’s" if congestion work is allowed to go ahead, a councillor has said.

Councillor Richard Udall, who represents St John’s on Worcestershire County Council, said planned work to install a new crossing and traffic lights as part of wider work to relieve congestion, would “essentially be building a dual carriageway.”

Cllr Udall accused Worcestershire County Council of “imposing” the work on residents and businesses and the council needed to put the plans to the public before work started.

Cllr Udall said: “I think there are significant problems with what is being suggested and I suspect it will have a detrimental impact on trade in St John’s and it is certainly not in the interest of bus travel or cycling or pedestrian safety. I am very concerned about this being imposed on people without consultation.

“Everything seems to have been cobbled together without any real forethought or consideration and certainly without any discussion with people who actually live, work and use St John’s. It’s out of the question for this to proceed as planned. It would be very damaging. It’s essentially building a dual carriageway through the heart of St John’s. Something as important as this which will affect jobs, affect business and people’s quality of life. It needs to be done carefully and not pushed through.”

Cllr Udall said he had objected to the work, which had been “imposed” on residents and was starting “far too soon,” and the council needed to consult local residents and businesses.

“I have formally objected to the proposals and I have asked the chief executive of the county council and the director of environmental services to intervene to stop the work from being rolled out and to seek full consultation with residents and traders before any decisions are taken,” he said.

The council’s work includes improved crossings, road widening, upgrades to traffic lights and improvements to street lighting and drains.

A spokesman for the council said:“We always consider a number of options when finalising a scheme such as this. We had explored the idea of a public realm area within the project but this was not supported by some key stakeholders and was removed from the scheme.

"Nevertheless, we consider the scheme will offer significant benefits to motorists, pedestrians and public transport users."