A LEADING Worcestershire councillor has praised an £8 million project to enlarge a Worcester roundabout - saying it couldn't be going much better.

Councillor Paul Tuthill said the year-long project to revamp the A38 Ketch island, in St Peter's, is a great example as to how future roadworks should work.

Contractors working for Worcestershire County Council have opted not to use temporary lights around the site, and have instead merged some lanes, with separate sections of road being dug up in phases.

The tactic means the entire project will carry on until April, a full year, but it has not led to particularly bad tailbacks.

Before the work started many people questioned the impact such a long project would have on one of Worcester's main routes.

LED signs have been placed at either end of the site for the last few months encouraging people to use alternative roads.

Cllr Tuthill, who represents Malvern Link and uses it to reach Worcester, said: "The work on the Ketch is very impressive and a real showcase for this council.

"Every time I go past there I can see the progress being made, and it's also being managed very well.

"I also have to say, my residents in Malvern Link will be very pleased when the work is done."

Councillor Adrian Hardman, the leader, said: "I am very pleased with the contractors - every time I've been past the Ketch roundabout I've been impressed with the progress.

"Completing this work is of great strategic importance to us, and as we know the council has already started work on considering 'phase four' (of the improvements to the A4440 Southern Link Road), which will see the doubling of the Carrington Bridge from the Ketch to Powick island."

As your Worcester News revealed earlier this week, the council has drawn up a £33 million funding package to dual the A4440 from Whittington island to the Ketch.

It is expected to include £16.3 million from Welbeck Land, private developers looking to get planning permission for more than 2,000 homes off Crookbarrow Way.

The work will be complete in 2018, and at this stage it does not include the Carrington Bridge.