A BOOSTER petition has been handed to Worcester MP Mike Foster after plans to build a mini-mart on London Road were re-submitted.

The 634-name petition opposing the store, planned for Esso's Larkhill Service Station, was handed to Mr Foster by shop owner Russell Jones.

This is a booster petition to the first one handed over a few months ago, said Mr Jones, who runs Pause for Thought next to the service station.

It will be handed to the chief planning officer and then the planning committee when it next sits.

People have been writing letters to us and we are worried about the traffic situation.

There are to be 30 staff at this place and only 17 customer spaces, and there'll be nowhere for customers to park.

Mr Jones said the increase in traffic which Esso admitted could be up to 21 extra cars per hour would cause chaos.

He feared it would lure shoppers away from the park-andride service and warned it would completely finish his livelihood" and that of other shops in the area.

Mr Foster, who was handed the petition on Friday outside the Esso garage, said he was worried extra cars would add to the risk of scrapes.

There will be an accident here one day when somebody gets killed, Mr Foster said.

Cars pulling in are asking for trouble because of the road layout that exists.

Mr Foster said it was up to city councillors representing All Saint's and St Peter's to stand firm.

They have an important decision to make and they should reflect the views of their local community, he added.

If the application is given the go-ahead, the building will be four times the size of the current Esso garage.

Esso spokesman David Eglinton said Esso was sensitive to the feelings of the community and would look into protesters' claims.

It will be nowhere near a conventional supermarket in size we are talking less than 200sq m, he said.

There are 17 customer parking spaces, and although there will be 30 staff there will be only five to six in at one time.

At peak times you will see an increase of only 13 to 21 motorists in an hour.