A frustrated former mayor has called it 'outrageous' that rules controlling the gull nuisance and dangerous cycling in the city have been ripped up, creating a 'free-for-all'.

Cllr Alan Amos, who says he was the only councillor to vote to extend the protective order, believes the decision flies in the face of the majority view in Worcester and is pandering to a minority viewpoint.

The City Centre PSPO (public space protection order) was introduced by Worcester City Council in 2021 and expires at the end of this month.

But councillors feel the behaviours it targets are either not major issues or can be tackled using other pieces of legislation so the Communities Committee voted on Wednesday (March 13) not to extend the order.

However, Cllr Amos, city and county councillor for Bedwardine, slammed what he called the 'Labour-Green controlled city council for ignoring the views and wishes of the vast majority of Worcester residents'.

His attack follows the decision not to extend the Public Space Protection Orders which control dangerous cycling in the pedestrianised city centre and the feeding of gulls.

Cllr Amos, who argues the order should be enforced and not rescinded, said: “It is absolutely outrageous but typical that this Labour-Green run council has ignored the results of its own consultation which showed that well over 80 per cent of the public want to keep these orders in place and have them enforced. Instead, the council has given in, yet again, to vocal minorities and created a free-for-all in the shopping centre.

"The council has never enforced the cycling order so it is absurd for them now to say that it doesn’t work since they’ve never enforced it in the first place.

"It would work well if it were enforced. The council has given a green light for yet more dangerous and selfish cycling to take place in the busy pedestrianized shopping area completely uncontrolled.

"We particularly need this order because the police don’t enforce the Traffic Regulation Order either which covers the cycle ban which is in place between 10am and 6pm.

"Pedestrianising the city centre shopping area was designed to create a safe and welcoming place solely for pedestrians but is now becoming a dangerous place, in particular for the elderly and parents with children."

Cllr Amos said every part of the city now had 'a gull problem'. 

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He added: "Together with the savage 50 per cent cut in the gull control budget this year by the Labour-Green coalition, people can only look forward to another year of noise, disturbance, and disruption to their lives, with no end in sight.

"These vicious flying rats are a huge, unpleasant and dangerous problem in the High Street especially now that people increasingly want to eat outside in the nice weather.”

However, Cllr Neil Laurenson, who chaired the meeting, said: "People should be allowed to cycle responsibly within the city centre. As ever, it is a small minority who cause problems.

"The report discussed at Communities Committee stated that there have been fewer reported incidents related to bikes and skateboards.

"It also stated that there is no evidence that people are continuing to intentionally feed gulls. We want Worcester to be a safe and welcoming place, and we need to ensure that Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) are based on evidence and effectiveness."