A PLAN to improve junctions near Pershore to tackle some of the town’s worst congestion was approved by council planners.

The work will see a number of improvements in Pinvin in a bid to improve the roads and junctions to accommodate the growing congestion in and around Pershore as well as the number of new homes being built around the town in the future.

At a meeting of Worcestershire County Council's planning committee on Tuesday (March 26), Councillor Liz Tucker, who represents Pershore, said the remodelling of the roads seemed “completely sensible” and would help remove long delays.

"It has taken a very long time to get here and it’s very exciting for some of the older councillors. It’s a pretty big moment as far as I am concerned that we are getting to the start of this.

"Onwards and upwards. I just wish it was 30 years earlier."

Cllr John Raine said he was "very sad" to see what building the new link would do to the fields around it.

He said he thought the plans were “excessive” and the council could have used simpler improvements to ensure more land was saved.

He said: “It’s no doubt efficient but a rather excessive intrusion on the environment."

The improvement work is expected to start in June and would last for around 28 weeks.

Part of the plan includes improvements to the A44 Pinvin crossroads junction which would reduce the amount of time lights stay on green at Terrace Road.

Changes to the Station Road and Wyre Road junction would shift the priority to south travelling traffic to give priority to the Pershore and A44 as the main route.

The centrepiece of the scheme would be a 420 metre link road between the A44/B4083 roundabout and the B4083 roundabout either side of the Worcester to Oxford railway line.

A planning application for the link road is expected to be submitted this year.

Lighting along all of the roads would also be upgraded and would be extended along the west of the A44 by around 50 metres so the junction and its approach was adequately lighted.

Around 70 metre of hedge would be replanted as well as 11 hedgerow trees, six trees and 130 square metres of shrubs.