A FURIOUS publican says 70 per cent of traffic lights in Worcester should be shown the red light.

Worcester City Councillor Simon Cronin, who also runs the Plough Inn, at Lower Broadheath, says drivers are fed up with lights littering the landscape, insisting it worsens congestion, hits motorists in the pocket and infuriates people.

However, the county council says traffic lights play an important role in controlling traffic in the city.

But Labour politician Coun Cronin says two out of every three lights could be removed without any problems, saying it would only benefit the city. “It’s absolutely ridiculous and has got to the stage where you begin to think someone must be on some sort of bonus for switching the blasted things on,” Coun Cronin said.

“It absolutely infuriates me because you drive through the city and run into one set after another, I believe we could get rid of two out of every three and put the rest in a skip.

“We all know we are living in straightened times and we accept one cut after another to public services, but at the same time you’ve got a highways department putting up light after light willy-nilly.”

He also highlighted what he considers one of the county’s worst journeys for traffic lights - the route from London Road to Lower Broadheath, the drive he makes home.

The four-mile drive, including the A44 and Martley Road takes in 20 lights, with Coun Cronin saying all but three or four are useless.

“On my journey back from the pub only around one or two are on red, which gives you an indication of the genuinely useful ones,” he said.

“You could probably eliminate 16 or 17.

“From the river bridge to the cathedral you hit seven lights alone.”

He says some of the “needless” lights include the junction of Comer Road and Bromwich Road, and off Bromyard Road in St John’s, near the new medical centre development.

He says the sprawling lights across Worcester are costing people money in fuel and damaging the air quality.

However, Worcestershire County Council has defended traffic lights as an “important measure” in keeping people safe.

Councillor John Smith, cabinet member for highways and transportation, said: “The council views the use of traffic signals as an important measure in keeping vehicles moving safely at junctions and dealing with large volumes of traffic.

“Decisions to install traffic signals are made with due diligence to a number of factors, including helping aid large flows of traffic from new developments and reducing junction accident problems.

“They are also an important way of assisting sustainable transport methods, such as aiding pedestrian and cycle movements at junctions and giving priority to public transport to improve journey times.”