A CITY resident has urged for improvements to congestion near a busy retail park - but council bosses will only say they will review it within two years.

Roger Groves wants improvements to be made on Blackpole Road, where a number of key retailers are situated.

The long-time city resident says it's time to "look at improving traffic flow" - particularly the stretch between Elgar Retail Park and the traffic lights by Bristol Street Motors.

Mr Groves spoke out after news of improvements to Croft Road and proposed changes on Pheasant Street, near the city centre.

The pensioner, who has lived in Drapers Close for 35 years, said: "The traffic along Blackpole Road has increased since Lidl and Marks & Spencer have opened, so perhaps it is about time for a review of this part of Worcester where there is lots of shopping and industry companies,” he said.

Mr Groves said the bus stop by Lidl “blocks traffic completely”, the zebra crossing “is not well planned” and the junctions with Cotswold Way and Mason’s Drive are “causing tailbacks at peak times.”

Earlier this week, county council cabinet member for highways Alan Amos promised an unpopular zebra crossing near Asda on Pheasant Street will be replaced with traffic lights by 2020.

This came just weeks after the zebra crossing on Croft Road, between the Hive and racecourse, was replaced with traffic lights as part of a £3.2million grant from the Department of Transport.

The council hopes to improve congestion on the troublesome road, with the work also including the removal of a roundabout.

When speaking to the Worcester News, Councillor Amos emphasised the extra £5million pumped into the council’s annual budget for solving congestion issues across the county.

Mr Groves said: “I’m sure all over town people will say they’ve got the same problems.

“We have lived here since 1985 and have seen factories go and retail parks built – Elgar Retail Park came in the 80s, then Blackpole Retail Park – and then further down there’s the Bosch site. The changes are good for Worcester.

“We didn’t go against the Lidl being built on the opposite corner, for example. We welcome it to encourage competition.

“But all over town there’s a lot of development where the infrastructure is just not good enough to support it.”

He said the mini roundabout opposite Blackpole Retail Park “slows things up and is always busy with traffic”.

“The crossing is right on the roundabout, you come straight off the roundabout and are on top of the crossing.

“Turning right out of Mason Drive can take forever. I don’t know what the solution is.

“Putting another roundabout in is going to slow traffic even more.”

Mr Groves went on to say: “Could they do anything to help with the traffic flow? They do all the improvements to the ones in the centre of town, but not out here. But people use this route every day.”

A spokesman from Worcestershire County Council highways department said: “We regularly review our junctions and highway corridors.

“Blackpole Road, along with Rainbow Hill, Astwood Road and Bilford Road will be part of a review process within the next two years.”