PEOPLE living and working in and around Warndon Villages say roadworks in the area are "a nightmare" for drivers — but the council says the "end is in sight".

Earlier this month your Worcester News reported on how the roadworks on Woodgreen Drive and Middle Hollow Drive in Warndon Villages were set to be delayed by almost two months.

The work will create a left hand filter lane at the approach to the roundabout, at the northern end of Woodgreen Drive, for drivers looking to turn left into Cotswold Way towards Blackpole, and although it was due to be completed by May 29 the council announced a new completion date of July 9.

This week readers took to the Worcester News' Facebook page to complain about the traffic caused by the works.

Duncan Wiggly said: "Well isn't driving through Warndon Villages a pleasure. It took 43 minutes to get from Warndon Tesco to Tesco Express less than a mile away," while Andrew Robinson said: "This part of town is a nightmare to drive through. The never-ending roadworks on Tolladine are causing traffic to back up well past the roundabout blocking traffic that isn't even going up Tolladine, and the never-ending roadworks at the end of Homestead Avenue is making getting to Tesco Express a nightmare."

Sally Jobling said: "I live off Home Meadow and the whole situation has been horrendous," and Sarah Russell said: "I live in Lyppard Hanford and most mornings I have to wait for someone to let me onto the Woodgreen Drive island so I can actually get in the queue of traffic, nightmare."

Meanwhile people living nearby have complained about noise from the roadworks carrying on late into the night.

Valerie Lamorte, who has lived in Warndon Villages for 13 years, complained that work was being done on the roadworks late into the night.

This stopped her sleeping, and she blasted the whole works as “a debacle” and said they have left her at the end of her tether.

Mrs Lamorte said: “The contractors were drilling at the end of Woodgreen Drive until 11.30pm.
“We hadn’t been told about that at all and the impact was that I couldn’t go to sleep.
“We’re absolutely sick to death by the way we’ve been treated by the council – we’ve been completely ignored.

“It’s just been a debacle from beginning to end and we don’t even know why they’re doing it.
“This is just another example of the useless, inept highways department which couldn’t organise a knees up in a brewery.”

Keshia Leonard‎ shot a video of the disruption.

She said: "There were roadworks outside my house in Warndon villages at 11 o'clock at night! The noise was horrendous!"

But councillor John Smith, cabinet member for Highways, said some of the works are set to finish this weekend.

He said: "The end is in sight for both sets of roadworks in Warndon Villages with final surfacing taking place in Tolladine Road/Middle Hollow Drive tonight (Friday) and completion of the new traffic controls at the junction over the next few days.

"Temporary lights will be in use there over the weekend but the new signals should be in operation on Monday (29).

"At Woodgreen Drive, where road widening has also been taking place, the final stage of the carriageway construction is scheduled to begin on Sunday afternoon, until around midnight. The new surfacing will happen overnight between Tuesday, June 30, and Friday, July 3, to minimise traffic disruption. The carriageway works should be completed by next weekend. Access through Woodgreen Drive and to Homestead Avenue will be maintained. Residents are being informed of this and we are apologising in advance for any disturbance during the evenings.

"We would like to thank drivers for their patience and co-operation during the work. We are sorry for any inconvenience but would like to stress that when these schemes are finished they should improve traffic flow."