WORCESTERSHIRE has been named as ‘one of the worst areas for roadworks’, according to new research.
Bill Plant Driving School said its study found Worcestershire County Council had 31,105 roadworks since 2021, putting the county the sixth highest in the UK.
The company sent over 130 Freedom of Information Requests to local authorities asking for the total number of road and street works carried out during the 2021 to 22 financial year (April 2021 to March 2022).
In the submission, it requested info for road, and street works carried out by the councils themselves, as well as those undertaken by third parties and statutory undertakers.
Out of 130 Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, 82 of them were successful and received a response. The area judged to have the highest number of roadworks was Essex County Council with 77,423, Staffordshire was second and Cardiff third.
Coun Mike Rouse, cabinet member for Highways and Transport at Worcestershire County Council, said: “Everyone knows roadworks are a necessary part of improving and maintaining the roads.
“Nobody digs up the road for the fun of it.
“People are quite understandably frustrated by roadworks, even though we minimise disruption as much as possible.”
He added he felt the research was a ‘marketing-ploy’, adding the driving school had ‘abused’ the FOI system.
WHAT do you think of the number of roadworks in Worcestershire and how they are organised? E-mail [email protected] with your views.
