UPTON Town Council has launched a petition against the closure of an entrance to Hanley Road car park.

Councillors made the decision after a permanent barrier was installed across the New Street entrance, blocking the car park from being used as a cut-through.

Malvern Hills District Council erected the £1,995 metal barrier for safety reasons, stopping locals from crossing between New Street and Hanley Road.

Residents reject claims about the entrance posing a safety risk and say it will increase traffic in the town.

Mike Ostick, vice chairman of Upton Business Association urged the parish council to throw its weight behind a petition against the closure.

“There has been interest on the Upton Parish Notice Board about this and clearly a lot of people feel the entrance should not have closed,” he said.

The district council website says petitions will be scheduled for debate if they get 750 signatures.

Locals were outraged at the £800, four-page Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents report, commissioned by the district council.

Cllr Simon Yates said: “I have been involved in two near misses in the car park and they have both been my fault.

“I was not looking where I was going. It's a car park and it's inevitably dangerous as there are cars going around in it.

“I have lived in New Street for 15 years and the entrance was already there when I moved in and cars were still turning around because they didn't realise the entrance was there.

“Any traffic that can be taken away from New Street is a good thing.”

Cllr Betty Williams said: “I can assure you only reason the entrance was ever put there was to take the weight off New Street.

“We had complaint after complaint here regarding the fact that people were turning around in the fire station and backing up.”

Cllr Williams said she was annoyed that council officers had not done their homework when choosing to build the barrier.

The councillor also called on Malvern Hills District Council to clean up the car park area, which she described as 'disgusting'.

Councillors also raised concerns about the emergency services not having access to a shortcut through the car park.

Cllr Rosemary Webb said the fire service do not have a key to open the padlock which has been installed on the barrier.

“Floods are not unusual around here. The entrance saved a few lives I believe,” she said.

Mr Ostick added that the police used the entrance for convenient access.

Cllr Henrietta Ross said the entrance closure has also cut off access to the tip for many in the outer reaches of the town.

“I live in Tunnel Hill and I have used the New Street entrance to use the tip, to avoid going through town,” she said.

Cllr Ross said she was disappointed with Malvern Hills District Council officers for their reluctance to accept alternative proposals to address the safety issue.

Mike Morgan, district councillor for Upton, said the council had a problem with the car park being used as a shortcut through the town.