A CONCERNED London Road resident feels more could be done to enhance the gateway to Worcester.

Mike Taylor has lived in the area for about 30 years and feels that after years of neglect it is time for the busy route to benefit from the TLC afforded to other parts of the city centre.

Some of the problems he cites include tatty and tired-looking frontages, litter, cracked and uneven pavements and overhanging trees and bushes.

Although Mr Taylor praises some work in the city centre, the improved riverside and the transformation of the former Worcester Porcelain factory, he would like to see money spent on other areas to give visitors the right first impression.

He said: “The classic route coming in from the London Road has suffered massive neglect over the last 30 years or more and as a result it is now extremely run-down.

“I would suggest this is not a fit approach to what’s really an enhanced city centre.

“I don’t think it will require vast amounts of money. Let’s divert some funds to routes into the city centre.

"It’s the face that presents itself to the public when they arrive here.

“In any other sort of city this would be a desirable place to live.

"We really should be well on the way to being classed in the same league as Cheltenham and Chester.”

Francis Lankester, Worcester city councillor for Cathedral, said: “Generally, things have been done over the years and all in all we should be making progress. If there is funding to access I am perfectly happy to access it.

“We can and certainly do encourage people to improve their properties but if they don’t want to we can’t force them unless it is a public nuisance.”

He said the city council was investigating the possibility of running the ‘living above the shop’ grants again to bring properties into or back to the residential market.

A number of improvements are also planned in Fort Royal Park, including creating a new play area, repairing the wall on Wyld’s Lane, dealing with the knotweed invasion in London Road and installing binoculars so visitors can enjoy the view over the city.