A FORMER Mayor of Worcester has urged fellow councillors to "stop kicking uncomfortable issues" into the long grass - saying it is finally time to grasp the nettle over congestion.

Councillor Roger Berry, a veteran Labour figure, says the city needs to start tackling the big decisions about how to ease Worcester's hold-ups.

As your Worcester News revealed last week, some members of the city council's watchdog-style scrutiny committee have spent months asking outsiders for any ideas on freeing up traffic.

A 12-page summary has been published, with third parties suggesting everything from reducing the number of parking spaces and congestion charging to red routes, upping parking prices and better bus services.

Councillor Berry, speaking during a scrutiny committee meeting last night, said: "For too long people have taken sides and kicked uncomfortable issues into the long grass, it's time we sorted this out.

"There's no doubt about it, when part of Worcester stops the whole city grinds to a halt.

"It does mean tackling those difficult issues, it does mean looking at things like car parking charges, it does mean a joined-up approach with the county council (which is responsible for transport and highways).

"We've got to get the message from the public that we must work together to tackle this significant issue, the public will never forgive us if we don't."

Councillor Adrian Gregson urged Worcester to learn from other, similar-sized cities and look at how they deal with traffic.

Councillor Jo Hodges said: “If you ask anyone in Worcester what would be their answer to congestion, you’d probably get a different answer every time – and that’s what is in this paper.

“What we’ve done is have an information gathering exercise, but to my mind we haven’t come forward with any solutions.”

Much of the rest of the debate centred around the BBC's reporting of the review after the corporation's local radio station suggested the exercise means the council is 'considering congestion charging'.

The claim led to staff and councillors saying they'd been on the end of irate phone calls from the public yesterday.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, the deputy leader, said: "I would like to comment on some of the shoddiest journalism I've seen for a very long time from the BBC.

"When you get angry members of the public ringing you up about something you haven't done, haven't considered, shouting at you about something you're just not doing, would never consider doing?

"It's reprehensible, it's such a disappointment that they've got this so wrong, and I hope (the BBC) will set the record straight."

The review included asking for public feedback via your Worcester News and talks with the likes of businesses, colleges, the emergency services, the Freight Association - any third party with an interest in easing the jams.

But Worcestershire County Council has responsibility for any decision making.

During the debate the councillors agreed to carry on the review and seek to now involve the county council.

After the meeting a BBC spokesman said: "Congestion charging was one idea on a review paper that was prepared for the scrutiny committee, and it prompted a wide ranging discussion and phone in on traffic in Worcester and beyond.  

"Two city councillors were interviewed as part of this and we have received no complaints."