A FORMER Mayor of Worcester has hit out over recent roadworks causing "traffic chaos" around the city - urging highways chiefs to up their game.

Councillor Pat Agar says the recent gridlock towards the end of June, when key routes like Newtown Road, Tolladine Road and Bath Road all suffered lengthy delays at the same time, damaged the city's reputation in the eyes of motorists.

Councillor Agar says she wants closer working with Ringway, the contractor which has just signed a fresh contract with the county council to oversee roads, to avoid any repeats.

Speaking during a meeting of the economy and environment scrutiny panel at County Hall, she said: "We recently has real tailbacks, what you might call traffic chaos, on four of the five main routes across the city.

"I really would like to feel Ringway should know the city better."

The fresh deal, penned earlier this year, is a saving of £850,000 a year on the old partnership between the council and Ringway, and costs taxpayers around £30 million a year.

Jon Fraser, the council's head of highways, said: "We do our absolute best to schedule them the best we can, but there are roadworks that overrun, unforeseen events like gas escapes and previously agreed roadworks that we can't refuse.

"There are occasions when it doesn't work as well as we wish, partly because of unforeseen events.

"We do our best to try and manage what is a complex situation."

Councillor Graham Vickery said: "I do have concerns that the 'quality management' of this contract isn't all what some would want it to be."

Mr Fraser said several times a year meetings are held with the likes of Ringway and key bodies like Severn Trent to coordinate an agreed plan for major schemes, to avoid clashes.

Last month the work in both Bath Road and Newtown Road were emergency interventions by the National Grid after gas leaks.

The project in Tolladine Road was a Ringway and county council scheme to create a new turning circle.

As your Worcester News revealed yesterday, the council is investigating traffic lights around the city to see if any can remain on green for longer to help traffic flow.

It also plans to re-paint white lines and replace or clean road signs to give drivers a better impression of the roads.