THE future of transport in Worcester is in the melting pot.

A draft guide for Worcester - and how it ties in with proposed building developments is on the agenda for city council planning bosses tomorrow.

The guide will help planners decide if new developments would put stress on existing parking spaces, roads and public transport in the area.

Bosses will be encouraged to think about disabled parking, motorbike and cycle provision with any new developments.

Future developments will stand more chance of winning planning permission if it minimises parking requirements and helps promote public transport.

The last time a guide on how new buildings tie in with transport was produced was back in 1994.

The guide has been criticised by planners for its '1950s' approach to safety measures on new developments in a pre-meeting document.

The draft guide will ensure highways landscaping is restricted to shrub planting only, as well as help them identify land for 'highways adoption' in future years.

Under the guide a new term called home zones will specify reasons for approving new developments - which will take into account how close a new development is to public transport.

New developments would see traffic calming measures installed in more places in Worcester. There will be a 'no lighting pollution' rule on street lighting.

The guide is seen as a controversial topic because the city council believes it is heavily biased on the need to avoid highway maintenance costs and the risk of litigation.

"The planning officers consider that in many respects this guide takes us no more forward and that, in many ways, it takes us backwards," said planning officer Vicky Bilton.

Councillors have been recommended to seek a re-write of the guide to bring in greener development policies.