RESIDENTS, traders and emergency services have slammed Worcester City Council's inability to deal with a "nightmare" junction.

Two delivery lorries have become wedged in the turning from College Street into Friar Street in the past week, causing traffic jams and tailbacks in the city centre.

Problems arise when wide vehicles are unable to manoeuvre between cars, which are illegally parked in a designated no-parking area.

While attempting to squeeze past, lorries and delivery vehicles become caught on roadside metal bollards, taking hours to be raised clear.

"It's a nonsense that double-yellow lines, some cones or a traffic warden cannot be organised to deal with the parking problems in the area," said Alec Mackie, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Fire Brigade's spokesman.

"If a fire engine has to get into Friar Street we now have to go the wrong way up Union Street because it is virtually impossible to gain access from College Street because of the parked cars.

"On Monday, as a fire crew was leaving for an emergency, I had to warn them a lorry was stuck at the junction and traffic would be jammed. It could create real problems."

Lara Townsend, a receptionist at Ye Olde Talbot Hotel, described the parking problems at the junction as "unbelievable", and the street's residents are also outraged.

"It's been like that since the Warner Village cinema opened two or three years ago," said one, who did not want to be named.

"Large vehicles are getting stuck, Friar Street is becoming completely blocked and nobody is able to gain access to it at all.

"Double-yellow lines down the street would be the simple solution to the problem, but when I spoke to the council they said they were still experimenting with a machine to put them on cobbled streets."

The city council had planned to put lines down earlier this year, but the firm chosen for the work was thwarted by the weather.

"Double-yellow lines should have been painted on January 29, but the company were unable to carry out the work because the ground was damp," said Andrew Perry, a transportation officer.

"The paint would not have adhered to the surface of the road and the date had to be passed on due to the poor weather.

"The same company is due to paint the lines again soon but they can't give us an exact date."