A busy dual carriageway through Darlaston could be reduced to a single lane both ways, spelling potential traffic misery for motorists using the road.
The announcement follows fears there will be a serious accident on Moxley Road, where drivers reportedly speed along a 200-yard stretch.
Two lanes operate in both directions between Woodsbank Terrace and Dangerfield Lane, with motorists believed to be hitting 50mph despite a speed camera being in place.
A 30mph limit is in operation along the dual carriageway section and the rest of Moxley Road which is single lane both sides, and campaigners want traffic slowed down.
Walsall Council has admitted it is considering action to “improve highway safety” and firm plans could be established over the next year after consultation.
Councillor Paul Bott said there have been a number of accidents along the road which is used by children going to Pinfold Street Primary School. He said changing the road layout could cost £10,000 but would be a welcome boost and prevent the possibility of another serious accident.
Friends John Edward Page and John David Pincher, both aged 20, were killed in 1991 when they were hit by a car on a zebra crossing near Dangerfield Lane.
Councillor Bott said: “Drivers go a lot faster along the dual carriageway. Anything that improves road safety must be better.”
Glyn Oliver, traffic and transportation service manager, said: “Our proposal is to reduce the dual lane carriageway into a single lane to improve highway safety on this stretch of road. We plan to go out to consultation shortly.
“Should the scheme be approved, it is likely to be included in the Local Transport Plan Capital Programme 2009-10.”
Last year, more than £100,000 was spent on other safety measures in nearby Great Bridge Road.
5 Comments
Thats the way! clog darlaston up even more, create another bottle neck to prevent people from moxley getting to work on time. If councilor Bott wants to do something to improve road safety get the parents to walk the kids to school.
Yes, I agree this very short stretch of dual carriageway is a speed lovers dream but it should never have been built that way in the first place. The original plan for this road was conceived as a way of straightening the Pinfold Street/Moxley Road section of bends at the Catherine’s Cross/St. John’s Road area and it was the intention turn the whole of Moxley Road to the junction with the A41 at Moxley into a dual carriageway. The fist phase (the current stretch) was completed before someone at the council looked at the plans again and realised exactly how many residential properties they would have to demolish to complete the scheme, which meant it wasn’t cost effective and it was therefore abandoned.
I just hope that if Planners at Walsall MBC read this they do not decide to resurrect a scheme that’s been dead and buried for 30+ years.
Yes, there have been accidents on this stretch of road and I agree that something needs to be done in order to slow down traffic. However, I don’t believe that blame came be laid with any road design - it isn’t the roads that drive the cars that create accidents it’s the car drivers who are to blame. Namely those idiots around today who take the attitude that “my speedometer says my car will do 190MPH and therefore it should do that, even if it’s for 10 yards between speed ‘humps’”.
I’d be interested to see exactly what WMBC plan to do to block off one lane in each direction on this stretch of road. It could actually make things far worse than it is now.
I quite often travel along this pointless stretch of road. It is never busy and due to the speed camera I rarely see speeders, if anything it is the slowest section of the road.
I agree with notepanel.
This is just a waste of money it is a slow road.
coming up to elections, councilor Bott has woken up from his winter hibernation.
Lets not have any more of these obstructions to the road £100,000 of taxpayers money spent(no wasted)on so called safety measures. The planners idea of a safety measure is to reduce the width of the road by extending the width of the pavement leaving a kerb jutting out into what was the carriageway thus making the chance of avoiding an oncoming idiot (because these types of measures dont stop this kind of driver)virtually impossible. They don’t care!!, and of course if you have to take evasive action you can utilise the handily placed bollard on the sticky out kerb to bring your car to an abrupt halt thus causing damage to your car and possibly injury to yourself or your passengers. Traffic safety don’t make me laugh. Look at the number of signs on Great Bridge Road to warn of a restricted height bridge, yet again last Tuesday evening, someone driving irresponsibly hit the bridge with a high sided vehicle and tipped over, the road is closed for the umpteenth time and the Metro brought to a standstill whilst the bridges integrity is examined. You cannot combat stupid drivers.
I know this stretch of road I was born and bred in Darlaston, and the last thing it needs is being made narrower. Darlaston will grind to a halt for traffic passing through the town on the A4038. Public transport included, public transport now don’t get me started…Please.