THE deputy leader of Worcestershire County Council has apologised for the traffic census chaos which struck Worcester.

Councillor Simon Geraghty has offered motorists an apology after coming under fire for last month's controversial survey which led to massive delays in the city.

Your Worcester News can reveal how the survey was raised at a full council meeting last week, where one councillor described it as "damn stupid" and "an economic disaster".

Cllr Geraghty defended the survey, insisting the Government would not dole out millions of fresh funding for roads without it, but said he was sorry about the problems it caused.

Labour Councillor Richard Udall said: "Would the leader of this council or the cabinet member responsible like to apologise for the traffic chaos which caused people to be late for work and almost closed the county for business?

"All for a survey which told us what we already knew, that the work on the A4440 Southern Link Road will not resolve Worcester's congestion and that only a completed ring road around the city will do."

Cllr Geraghty, who is also cabinet member for economy, skills and infrastructure, said the strategy of dualling most of the southern link was one backed by all MPs, councils and "decision makers" in the county.

He also told the chamber the survey, which took place on Wednesday October 22 at five key city locations, is "what was required by the DFT (Department for Transport) to stand any chance to securing big Government funds for future road improvements.

He added: "In order to get future money we've got to find the evidence.

"Sometimes, a small amount of disruption is required for one day, to get those sort of sums from the Government.

"To dual that Carrington Bridge, we're talking £70 million pounds, they don't dole out those sort of sums without hard evidence."

Cllr Udall then said: "So he's not apologising for the economic disaster that happened that day, the chaos - perhaps he'd like to apologise for bringing Worcester to a halt for these damn stupid surveys."

Cllr Geraghty said: "There is a balanced judgement to be made – we had not done a survey on these routes for some years, and these surveys are an essential component of DFT bids, if that’s what is required by the DFT then that is what we’ve got to do.

“Of course I apologise to people for the disruption.

"There was a rationale for the surveys, they were required by the DFT and we had to do them."

During the debate Councillor Marc Bayliss, a county councillor for St Peter’s, said he wanted to distance himself from Cllr Udall’s remarks, telling the chamber people in his area want the A4440 dualled as soon as possible.

“If this survey was a temporary problem that proves to the Government that this really is needed (more investment into better highways) then let’s get on and do it,” he added.

As your Worcester News revealed yesterday, the survey cost taxpayers £20,000.

A total of 5,715 motorists were pulled over and asked to answer four questions in a mammoth council operation with the help of West Mercia Police from 7am to 7pm.

The questions were around where people had travelled from, where were they going, where were they planning to park once they’d reached their destination and if they had Bluetooth in the car.

It led to delays of around 90 minutes for people trying to get from Malvern to Worcester and reports of some buses taking two hours to get into the city, with the A4440 Southern Link Road by Whittington island, west Worcester and Powick roundabout used as three locations of the five.

* Cllr Geraghty is also the leader of Worcester City Council.