THE centre of any city is its economic and social heart. A blocked artery can bring the whole body to a standstill and cripple its potential to grow and prosper.

That is why the proposed new scheme for Cathedral Square must be handled with great care.

Messing around with the traffic flow of such a crucial route into the city could be disastrous if it is detrimental to the workers, shoppers and businesspeople who have to come and go every day.

But just as keeping the traffic moving is vital to keeping the blood pumping through the economy, it is equally important that the centre is a place people want to visit.

More than most, Worcester needs to be a good-looking city. Our reliance on tourism makes that so.

And splashing £300,000, or even £1 million, to unlock the potential of the area close to one of our key selling points - the cathedral - would be money well spent. Pavements lined with trees and benches from which shoppers and visitors can admire the grand architecture of our 11th-Century crown jewel is a winning idea.

If commuters have to put up with some traffic disruption in the short-term while work is carried out, that will be a price worth paying. But the long-term ramifications must be properly thought through to ensure the goals are achieved without creating new problems.

In order to achieve the delicate balance required, decision-makers will need to use good judgement, a steady hand and navigate this project with surgical precision.