A TRAFFIC restriction scheme in the centre of Worcester could be in place by Easter after tests proved years of setbacks have been overcome.

A series of trials using microwave transmitters in buses at the Angel Street automatic bollards were successful and will be extended to include emergency vehicles.

The city council is now more hopeful than ever that problems bugging the barriers - which were left permanently lowered because of the system's erratic performance - have been solved.

"We don't want to stick our necks out and say it is solved but certainly the success of the detection with this system is very high," said the city council senior engineer Tom Comerford.

Tests will continue before the bollards are checked and equipment is installed in the 400 vehicles exempt from the 10.30am to 4.30pm ban.

A spring start-time is being scheduled.

Mr Comerford added that the scheme would be "an ideal solution" in other restricted parts of the city including Mealcheapen Street and The Shambles.

Automatic bollards in Lowesmoor, which like those in Angel Street have been inactive for years, would also be restarted.

The Angel Street bollards were first installed in 2000 but were taken out of use two years later when some vehicles failed to set off receivers for access to the street.

The scheme, which cost £30,000 to set up, are designed to restrict all traffic except buses and 999 patrols.

ATG, the company behind the system, will foot the bill for all work carried out to solve the problems.