A LEADING Worcestershire councillor has spoken of his delight after securing the go-ahead to launch a congestion-busting project.

Councillor John Smith, part of the Conservative leadership at County Hall, says the work kicking off later this year in Malvern and Evesham will have knock-on benefits for thousands of drivers.

As your Worcester News first revealed two weeks ago, the county council's new £322 million budget plans for 2016/17 now includes a £2.2 million scheme to boost town and city centres.

It includes £500,000 towards resurfacing and drainage for each of Worcester, Droitwich, Kidderminster and Redditch, and £100,000 for both Malvern and Evesham.

The work in the two latter towns will include long-awaited studies into traffic levels, to determine what can be done to free up road space and ease rush-hour hold-ups.

Councillor Smith is the cabinet member for highways and also represents Evesham, which suffered badly when the Abbey Bridge closed for six months in 2014.

In recent weeks the veteran Tory has had to try and convince fellow cabinet members that the investment must be made.

He said: "We've always said, ever since that work was started on the Abbey Bridge that we'd look at doing a traffic survey once it's finished.

"And despite the serious situation the budget's been in, I am delighted we've been able to keep to that promise."

He also said the overall budget, which is being voted on this Thursday, has been one of the most arduous the administration has ever worked on.

It includes a 3.9 per cent council tax rise, adding more than £42 a year to the average band D bill, which will be used to prop up social care and adults and children, as well as a record £12 million two-year roads improvement programme.

Councillor Smith added: "This hasn't been an easy budget, we've been working on it for probably six, seven, eight months.

"But what we've been able to do is look at the three main areas the public want us to focus on, vulnerable people both young and old, our 'open for business' agenda and roads."

The £500,000 spend on Worcester will focus on resurfacing Broad Street and The Shambles, while the same sum for Droitwich will revamp its High Street.

The smaller sums for Malvern and Evesham will look at traffic levels and what can be done to ease up congestion - with further sums then expected to be made available.

In 2014 work on Evesham's Abbey Bridge was delayed by weather, shutting it for an extra two months in a saga that infuriated traders.