SHOPKEEPERS in Worcester's London Road fear they may be driven out of business over plans to build a Tesco Express shop.

Esso has submitted an application to Worcester City Council to expand Larkhill Service Station by almost four times its current size to make way for the Tesco Express with 17 car-parking spaces.

But nearby shopkeepers say they are determined to fight the application, claiming it will turn the small community into a "ghost town".

They have now joined forces to campaign against the application and a petition, which has already attracted more than 300 signatures with hundreds more expected, is being circulated.

"We're very concerned about the effect this will have on business," said Russell Jones, who owns general store Pause for Thought next to the service station.

"All the shops will end up closing down and the place will become a ghost town. I have evidence to show this happened in Bristol when a Tesco Express was built in an area there."

He also raised concern over the increase in traffic he claimed the proposed shop would create if given the go-ahead by planners.

"This will result in a dramatic increase in traffic in London Road which is already a dangerous road," said Mr Jones.

"It's very narrow and ambulances are often forced to go on to the other side of the road to get past lines of traffic."

Sub postmaster Jeff Bailey agreed. "There are three schools surrounding the service station and the increased traffic is a danger to them," he said.

"I'm also concerned for the pensioners in the area. They struggle to get across the road as it is. If there was more traffic it would be even worse for them."

The shopkeepers have written to Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Worcester, Mike Foster, and are urging residents to write to the council with their objections to the plan before the Tuesday, June 5, deadline.

Peter Yates, head of development planning at Worcester City Council, confirmed the application had been submitted.

"The proposed building is significantly larger than what's there at present and we have received a lot of objections," he said.

"More talking and negotiations need to be done with the applicants before it goes to the committee stage."

A spokeswoman for Esso said the current retail area would be enhanced and extended through the Tesco Express but it would essentially remain a local shop.