UPDATE 9.10AM: These traffic lights have been removed.

THE traffic lights causing lengthy tailbacks on the main Worcester to Malvern Road are no longer there.

Drivers were being warned to use alternative routes yesterday.

National Grid is replacing a stretch of tarmac after it became badly rutted, following earlier roadworks carried out at the weekend.

So since late Monday, traffic lights had been in place by the petrol filling station at Powick limiting traffic flow to one lane.

This caused delays of up to an hour for some drivers, with queues back to London Road in Worcester and Newlands, in the direction of Malvern.

The gas firm has apologised to drivers caught up in the tailbacks.