THE LONG-RUNNING saga over the Station Road junction looks set to continue after fed-up council chiefs told a housing developer to install permanent traffic lights or face court action.
Wychavon District Council served an enforcement notce on Persimmon Homes as frustration over a lack of progress to tackle the traffic problems blighting the area boiled over.
As part of the planning permission for the new homes off Station Road, the developer agreed to pay for a permanent junction.
Temporary traffic lights have been in place for several months, leading to congestion on one of Pershore’s busiest roads and misery for town motorists.
Drivers have been faced with delays along Station Road ever since builders moved on site to build the new housing estate.
Efforts by local residents to demand a roundabout be built at the junction were rebuffed by county council highways chiefs at the end of last year.
The issue has been at the heart of a war of words between Persimmon and Worcestershire County Council with each side blaming the other for the lack of progress.
Town MP Harriett Baldwin even agreed to work with the local authorities and the housing developer to mediate the long-running dispute.
Speaking in November Persimmon Homes’ Andy Peters confirmed a permanent solution was ready to be implemented but work is yet to begin on any solution.
But county traffic chiefs said they were waiting on further technical details from the developer before the green light could be given to any proposals.
Irate district council chiefs have slammed the developer and demanded it addresses five points within the next three months.
Permanent traffic signals must be installed within three months otherwise the developer could be taken to court.
Gary Williams, head of planning and housing at Wychavon District Council, said: “The developer has not fulfilled a number of conditions they were required to as part of their planning permission, including the installation of permanent traffic signals .
“Therefore we have issued them with a breach of condition notice requesting compliance with these conditions in accordance with a prescribed timetable.
“Failure to comply with this notice could result in the council referring the matter to the courts.”
Persimmon Homes were unavailable for comment as the Observer went to press.
