MUCH-NEEDED improvement works to widen a road in Rubery have been scuppered by the high cost of moving underground cables.

Parked cars on the service roads east and west of St Chad's Road have been making it difficult for vehicles to pass.

Worcestershire County Council planned to carry out the improvements following calls from councillor Peter McDonald.

But the works have hit a snag due to the estimated £30,000 to £60,000 cost of relocating BT wires close to the kerb - a price cllr McDonald has slammed as "ridiculous".

He said: "At the moment these service roads are just not conducive to cars parking and vehicles passing.

"The county council had agreed to widen both service roads.

"Local residents have welcomed the proposals as they are seen as a priority to improve the High Street.

"BT has estimated between £30,000 and £60,000 to relocate the cable - this is a ridiculous amount of money for a slight diversion and this could have put an end to road being widen.

"The county council is looking at other ways of making the service road more conducive to vehicles than it is now, without filling the pockets of BT off the backs of the local tax payer."

Rubery has been undergoing planned changes as part of the regeneration project, which was approved last summer. 

Bromsgrove District Council is contributing £75,000 towards the scheme, while the county council is investing £25,000, although the county council say the road widening on St Chad's Road is not part of the project.

Cllr Alan Amos, cabinet member responsible for highways, added: "The work proposed on the service roads is one of cllr McDonald's priority schemes.

"We are exploring a number of other options at this stage to address parking concerns."

Elsewhere, works at the junction of New Road and Callowbridge Road will take place this September.