THE proposed Sainsbury's superstore will re-create the rat-runs suffered by those living in St John's before the Worcester bypass was created, claims the pressure group against its construction.

David Birtwhistle, a member of the group, told yesterday's public inquiry that road alterations would result in major tailbacks forcing drivers to use rat-runs to skip the queues recently solved by the construction of a bypass.

The public inquiry is being held after Worcester City Council rejected the supermarket chain's proposal for a new store on the Westside, saying it would be an over-development.

But Mr Birtwhistle, who lives in Bransford Road, and other members of the pressure group, claim the store would also create major traffic problems within the area.

"Before the bypass, people were plagued with traffic," he said.

"Drivers were always using back roads as short cuts and rat-runs but the bypass stopped the problem. People living in St John's are now very angry because we've just got rid of the problem and you now want to give it back to us.

"The store will bring dangerous rat-runs back and we're being told it's good for us."

He added that the loss of 10 on-street parking spaces in St John's to allow proposed road changes, together with the loss of a car park in Bransford Road, and an increased volume of traffic, would lead to illegal parking in the area.

Gerry Prodohl, representing Sainsbury's, replied he did not believe the problem would be created. He said that traffic signals at Bromyard Road and Bransford Road would control congestion and eliminate the problem.