A LEADING motoring organisation has attacked plans to turn a busy road in Droitwich into a single carriageway.

The Worcestershire Group of Advanced Motorists has expressed "dismay" at the proposals for the A38 Droitwich bypass following several accidents, including one fatal, last November.

The group believes that the decision, announced last week by Worcestershire County Council's highways partnership unit, is "over-drastic" and has made alternative suggestions.

David Wornham, chairman of the group, said: "It is with dismay that I read the proposals.

"I do understand that it must always be extremely upsetting for the family and friends of anyone killed or injured in a road crash, and only natural for them to look for blame elsewhere than the drivers.

"However, before making reactive decisions to close a lane, the highways decision makers should surely remind themselves of the many thousands of motorists who have driven and ridden the same route without mishap.

"I expect that the police will have done their usual thorough invest-igation and made their recomm-endations, but surely this proposal to close one lane is over-drastic without considering alternatives.

"If the road surface gives poor traction, this is replaceable, and the use of a special high grip surface should be considered.

"If the camber is wrong for the bend, this can be corrected.

"Advanced warning signs, perhaps with an advisory speed and reflective white paint stripes on the kerb are all surprisingly absent at present.

"Before completely wasting the work of the road designer and adding to traffic congestion by restricting one lane, I urge the highways engineers to make public their considerations of the alternatives with their comparative costings and to seek the views of the motoring majority."

The Worcester News revealed last week how one lane on the stretch of road between the Kidderminster Road and Copcut islands was coned off to Worcester-bound traffic.

The highways partnership unit said work to make this permanent was due to start in the near future.