A WORCESTER councillor is calling for a re-think over the Lowesmoor traffic restrictions - saying taxi drivers are getting too much grief over it.

Councillor Jabba Riaz says ever since council chiefs decided to stop people using Lowesmoor as a cut-through, it has led to problems with congestion.

Back in January Worcestershire County Council decided to start enforcing long-standing regulations by stopping motorists from using the route to access the city centre without turning left at the junction with Silver Street first.

The lights at the top of Lowesmoor now only turn green only for vehicles and cycles fitted with special devices known as transponders, including buses and emergency services.

Councillor Riaz sits on the city council's licensing committee, and is calling for a fresh debate over it now the changes are nearly five months old.

"A lot of traffic has to use City Walls Road and it can be extremely frustrating during busy periods anyway," he said.

"Taxi drivers are now having to go all the way around and it's led to them getting unnecessary grief from customers.

"But these drivers are doing a public duty, the same as buses, whether it's something that highways (chiefs) are prepared to consider I don't know.

"My concern is that this is adding to congestion, it's making the City Walls Road worse and leading to fare increases on taxis."

Taxi driver Colin Simkins, 38, a private hire cabbie, said: "It's been ok but there's no doubt we've all had to take more fares from people.

"There's no other solution."

The changes, which prevent people from heading towards the city centre via Lowesmoor 24 hours a day and eastbound between 3.30-6.30pm, have come into force after the top stretch of Lowesmoor was found to have illegal levels of pollution.

The street is the most polluted in the county, with a reading of 60 milligrams of nitrogen dioxide for every cubic metre of air, 50 per cent above the Government limit of 40 milligrams.

The county council has insisted the changes are there for a reason, with Councillor John Smith, the cabinet member for highways, saying "given the air pollution levels in Lowesmoor, we are legally obliged to act".

Lowesmoor's main shopping area remains fully accessible, as the restrictions only kick in at the traffic light junction by Silver Street.

The next city council licensing committee meeting is on Monday, June 22 where it is expected to be raised.