THE leader of Worcestershire County Council has voiced his dismay over 18 months of M5 misery - calling the impact on drivers "significant".

Councillor Simon Geraghty says the new-look leadership at County Hall is going to lobby Highways England fiercely in a bid to try and avoid any repeats of the 'smart motorway' farce.

Last week work the long-running project to improve the M5 from junctions four to six finally finished, after months of delay.

The revamp, which has resulted in an extra lane going in both directions, was originally due to be complete last November but was hit by a series of setbacks.

Cllr Geraghty has revealed a body representing councils in the region has met with Highways England to express "discontent" over the scheme.

He has also asked his new cabinet member for highways, Councillor Alan Amos, to see what more can be done to try and influence the agency.

Cllr Geraghty said: "The relevant council officers have been in regular contact with Highways England and the adjacent authorities in connection with this matter.

"The West Midlands Shires Traffic Management Group has met with Highways England and expressed their discontent with the number and the extent of road closures on the network.

"The group is also currently scrutinising 'HE's' network closure approval process.

"While we cannot prevent closures, as the HE have the powers to close aspects of their network, they do indeed have a duty to liaise and consult with us."

Speaking during a full council meeting, he said Cllr Amos will be asked "if there is any more" County Hall can do to influence the body.

It came after a question from Labour Councillor Chris Bloore, who called Highways England "unaccountable" and asked them to be grilled in the council chamber.

Some of the delays over the M5 roadworks were down to what bosses called "substantial structural repairs" to drainage which pushed the completion date back.

As the sags rumbled on concerns were regularly raised about a high number of crashes in the roadworks area – with Highways England admitting the number of minor shunts had increased since the work began.

The M5 in Worcestershire now has new overhead signs and signals to give drivers more information and variable speed limits to smooth traffic flow, as well as an extra lane in either direction.

But the body is now warning drivers to "expect long delays" further up the M5 from mid-summer doe to repair work at the Oldbury viaduct, between junctions one and two.

There will be a contraflow, narrow lanes and a 30mph speed limit between the affected junctions, from mid-July until the autumn.