WORCESTERSHIRE County Council has been criticised for failing to respond to a radical proposal that could lead to an unmanned railway station being built in Worcester.

Worcester City Council's idea to create a rail halt - a small, unmanned station - on the old Kays factory site in Bransford Road, St John's, was discussed at a planning committee meeting yesterday following a public consultation exercise.

The city received responses to its idea from all the key organisations in the rail industry during the consultation - but never heard anything from County Hall.

One member was of the city's planning committee was unimpressed.

Coun David Candler said: "I am not saying it's a realistic objective at this juncture, but it does reflect a desire.

"The county council did not respond to this. They're blameless as far as they are concerned. This is rather disappointing and typical of the county council highways department that they don't have anything to say on a number of these major developments."

Coun David Tibbutt said he had raised the matter at the Integrated Transport Forum, which is chaired by county and city councillor Derek Prodger, and would continue to do so.

Coun Mike Layland said he remembered when there were four such rail 'halts' in Worcester and described the level of response to the consultation as disappointing.

A total of 1,442 letters were sent out about an exhibition about the plans at The Portobello pub in Bransford Road, St John's, but only 68 people turned up to view them over the two days.

As revealed in your Worcester News on Tuesday, the proposals are part of a wider consultation exercise over the site's long-term future.

The city council wants to restore the site to business use, but landowner Littlewoods Shop Direct wants to see new homes built.

  • One year after the closure of Kays we will be taking a look at the people still affected by the closure - see tomorrow's Worcester News.