RESIDENTS of a conservation area in Worcester have been reassured they will not lose their historic kerb stones during road maintenance work.

Some of the people living in the Upper Park Street area of Fort Royal were horrified to find their 150 year-old kerb stones being lifted yesterday during Worcestershire County Council road resurfacing work.

Andrea Handy, of London Road, said the local residents had to fight to get the kerb stones retained when the road was resurfaced 20 years ago and that they were some of the oldest in the city.

She said she was told the stones were being taken to Malvern.

“These are original kerb stones. It is completely wrong that they have been moved in the first place.

“It is a total waste of public money. They are an important part of the conservation area street scene,” she said.

Ward councillor Allah Ditta went along to Upper Park Street yesterday as soon as he heard about the kerb stones. “I have been up there and I can see there are some difficulties.

“They are moving the stones and some are breaking up but they are more than happy to put back the ones that are holding together.”

Worcestershire County Council highways manager Jon Fraser said the original kerb stones on one side of the street were being removed during the resurfacing work but would be put back afterwards.

“The only place where there is going to be new concrete kerbs is where the kerb is dropped for a footpath crossing. We have liaised with the Worcester City Council conservation officer at Worcester City Council about this. Some are past reuse because they are breaking up and are a bit dangerous but we are saving what we can and reusing them.

“I think it was always the case that we would put these kerb stones back.”