WORK to slow down motorists who use a Bewdley estate as a "rat run" will finally begin on Monday.

The long-awaited scheme to install traffic-calming measures on Queensway and the surrounding roads will be completed before the end of the year.

And a public meeting will be held later this month to discuss scrapping the controversial Catchem's End junction lay-out- which residents have blamed for pushing traffic onto the estate.

The meeting - on September 22 - will also see highways officials talk to residents about plans to install traffic-calming on the nearby Habberley Road.

First up for contractors will be a two-week operation to build a "speed table" on Kidderminster Road at the junction of the main Queensway access into the estate.

Work will then move to six other streets including Shaw Hedge Road, home to Wribbenhall First School.

The project - part of Worcestershire County Council's Safer Routes to School initiative - will include speed bumps and improved street lighting and signing.

But Liz Davies - who lives on Habberley Road and represents Wribbenhall on the county council - said the project would fuel concerns among residents outside the estate.

She said a mini-island needed to be installed at the Catchem's End junction - which was made a "no right" turn after a spate of smashes - as the move to install traffic-calming would now push more cars towards the junction and past houses on the Kidderminster Road.

However, Highways Partnership Unit manager Stuart Reynolds said putting in a mini-island would be costly and difficult because of the "oblique" angle at which the junction enters Kidderminster Road.

He said the meeting would enable representatives from the partnership and county council to "listen to the residents' point of view and put ours".

The work on Kidderminster Road will last two weeks, starting on Monday, but contractors will then be at the following locations for a week at a time:

Cordle Marsh Road from October 6, Wassell Drive from October 13, Springhill Rise from October 20 and Shaw Hedge Road from October 27.

The contractors, Raynesway Construction, will be working at Queensway from early November and Crundalls Lane from mid-November.

The public meeting takes place at Shaw Hedge Road Community Centre at 7pm on September 22.