COUNCIL chiefs in Worcestershire have admitted they have no idea how many roadwork schemes start on time - amid claims utility firms are making a mockery of them.

After months of regular gridlock in and around Worcester, the Labour group at County Hall has tried to get data on how many times outside companies apply to start work on one date before dithering.

Worcestershire County Council has revealed it does not maintain any figures, leading to criticism that each time-lag is embarrassing for the authority.

Under roadworks legislation, every time a route is dug up a utility firm must apply for a start and end date, which the council is responsible for rubber-stamping.

Only last week the National Grid placed traffic lights at the bottom of Bath Road, Worcester for two days despite seven weeks of gas work not kicking off until this week.

Councillor John Smith, the cabinet member for highways at the county council, said: "Unfortunately the council doesn't maintain figures on how many roadworks or repairs do not start on the proposed date.

"The (national) street works legislation means contractors do not have to start on the first day of their planned works, so we are not able to tell you whether they start on the first date or if they are delayed or not.

"Informal feedback does suggest most schemes are started on time.

"What I can tell you is that in the last six months of 2014/15 (since September) 88 per cent of roadworks that required notification from the street works department were completed within the planned duration of the work."

He said the county council's own roadworks had only failed to start on time twice in recent months, which were drainage projects in Shrawley and Broadway.

The comments have angered Councillor Peter McDonald, Labour group leader, who said: "Councillors and officers inform residents when proposed work is going to start so they can take the necessary actions, then they find out it never starts.

"We give them two or three dates and it still doesn't happen. Does he agree it makes him look a fool and that residents lose confidence in the competence of this council?"

Cllr Smith said "the short answer is no" insisting that contractors have a duty to inform the public about roadworks.

As well as Bath Road the National Grid is currently doing roadworks in Wyld's Lane, at the junction with Sebright Avenue until this Wednesday, February 25, resulting in a 'give and take' traffic flow system being in place.

Elsewhere, Severn Trent has closed Sansome Place to Sansome Walk for water mains work which is set to last until Monday, March 9.