A DISTRICT councillor is concerned the volume of traffic through Bordesley could be delaying emergency vehicles.

June Griffiths, of Bromsgrove Council, is seeking action from county highways chiefs to ease the situation along Birmingham Road.

Mrs Griffiths has also expressed concern about cars waiting to turn right in the central hatched area of the road - which could also potentially hold up an emergency vehicle.

Mrs Griffiths said: "Traffic through Bordesley is becoming a serious situation.

"Emergency service vehicles find they can't get through because of the sheer volume of traffic.

"They go to use the hatching, and rightly so, but face a car trapped in the centre.

"There should certainly be no further encouragement of traffic in the area, the road can't cope with the traffic on it.

"There has also been no headway made with the Bordesley bypass."

Mrs Griffiths added: "And we are still waiting for the speed limit to come down from 50mph to 40mph."

Redditch Ambulance Station paramedic Lionel Baird said rush hour traffic on the road could put up to a minute on a call and said the situation had declined after traffic lights at Dagnell End Lane were installed.

He added: "Traffic can back up, especially near the lights.

"Nine out of 10 motorists are obliging and move aside but it can put a minute on a journey, which could be all-important."

But Station Officer Richard Lawrence, of the town's fire station, said with flashing lights and sirens, their crews could still reach the M42 in about three minutes.

He did not feel there was a big problem with the road.