MAJOR congestion and traffic problems have already hit Stourport according to town councillors, who slammed Worcestershire County Council's latest report on the relief road.

And they demanded the county council stopped treating Stourport like a "poor relation".

Councillor Reg Knott denounced the county council's local transport plan's conclusion major congestion relating to environmental problems would exist in Stourport by 2016 if no action was taken - insisting problems already existed.

He told members of Stourport Town Council he could not understand why the costs of the much-needed relief road had spiralled to £47million - and demanded plans for the by-pass stopped being pushed backwards.

Agreeing with chairman Dave Little's proposal to write to the county council's director of environmental services Richard Wigginton, urging him to retain the relief road as a "high priority". He added: "We have the problems with the high street now.

"People are moved on for a short time but as soon as the police have gone they're back."

He went on: "I find it very difficult to see why it's had to go up to £47million and it looks as though we're going to be losing out to Redditch and Worcester.

"We have too long been the poor relation in Worcestershire and need some action to make Stourport environmentally friendly. Once the relief road is in place no end of things can be done with the British Waterways team."

His views were supported by Councillor Roger Green who said Stourport was in danger of becoming a "clogged up backwater".

And Councillor Don Giles, who added: "The model says we'll be congested by 2016, which is wrong."