SPIRAL road marking at Junction 6 of the M5 are cutting the number of accidents - it just depends on which figures you look at, Worcester police's traffic management advisor says.

Last month, Warndon Parish Council said the layout causes drivers to dash out and spiral markings are maze-like and confusing.

Complaints to the parish council were prompted by an increase in the number of road traffic collisions reported to the police.

During August, three out of the five collisions were reported to the council and in September, this figure rose to five out of eight.

Beat manager, PC John McManus, stressed these figures were only based on phone calls received by police, and South Worcestershire Division's traffic management advisor Mike Digger said accidents in which people were actually injured were much lower.

According to these personal injury collision figures, there had been 28 recorded collisions at Junction 6 between 2000 and 2003, 13 of which occurred where the junction met A4440 Warndon Way.

Most of these accidents were during 2001 and, since the spiral markings had been introduced six months ago, the number had dropped further, said Mr Digger.

"There are absolutely no accidents as a consequence of spiral markings."

He added that temporary traffic lights would be installed within six months.

However, parish council members were unconvinced and said they wanted more traffic lights and the A449 leading to the junction should have more advance warnings.