Angry traders claim they were 'kept in dark'

They are up in arms about the changes in Worcester Road - part of an improvement project.

Concerns include the waiting areas along the street and the tight turn into Station Street.

Car dealers Neale's Garage cannot accept deliveries any more because the articulated lorry cannot stop outside the premises on the corner of Station Street because it would cause congestion.

Instead, the cars are dropped off in Market Street and have to be shuttled to the showroom.

Dealer principal Paul Adams said: "This is due to total lack of communication and we have been kept in the dark about these works.

"I would have thought the Station Street turning would have been made bigger and more consideration would have been given to the businesses here."

Terry Knight, of Kay/Bee Engineering, in Station Street, says the turning off Worcester Road is too tight and delivery vehicles have to mount the pavement.

He said: "I have deliveries of steel by the ton and it has to be brought to my door.

"I found out the pavement near Station Street had been specially strengthened so lorries could use it to turn - but this is putting pedestrians at risk.

"It's an accident waiting to happen."

Earlier this month the Advertiser/Messenger repor-ted how traders had started a petition calling for compensation from Bromsgrove District Council over the loss of business during the work.

The authority's head of performance services, John Moody, said: "There was a full consultation exercise for everyone which took two years. We are making Worcester Road more user-friendly. Station Street has always been inadequate for industrial use, there is nothing we can do."