ROADWORKS in Kidderminster have caused a storm of protest by residents already affected by major works in Stourport.

The Shuttle has been bombarded by calls from people angry that work was taking place in Stourport Road, near Hamilton Motors, at the same time as a five week closure of Gilgal in Stourport.

It turned out that the works were in fact an emergency response to a gas leakage and were not the result of “poor planning”.

They are due to be completed this afternoon.

One resident, postman Mark Williams, of Windermere Way, Stourport, had accused Worcestershire County Council of failing to consider the effect additional roadworks would have on traffic making its way back to Kidderminster.

He said: “It was gridlock. It just seemed ridiculous to me. There are all the problems in Stourport at the moment and now this.”

Mr Williams, who was stuck in traffic trying to get home from Kidderminster’s Crossley Retail Park, had added: “It seems as though the county council has given the issue no real thought at all.”

A spokesman for the county council explained: "These are emergency works being carried out by National Grid Gas after a gas escape was traced back to the junction.

“They are not planned and due to the obvious safety concerns there was no option for the company but to complete their repairs immediately.

“As a result it was necessary to install temporary three-way traffic lights in the area to ensure workers were safe to carry out these essential repairs.

“We spoke to National Grid Gas who assured us that they would endeavour to complete the repairs as safely and quickly as possible."