Travellers have blocked plans to close roads prone to fly-tipping in the Black Country because they argue that their human rights have been infringed.

The group of travellers says consultation about the planned road closures was inadequate as many of them cannot read. The move to close off Holbeache Lane and parts of Oak Lane and Ham Lane, Kingswinford, has now been put on hold for a year to allow further consultation with the travelling community living nearby to be carried out.

For years the area has been blighted by flytippers and speeding drivers, and there have been dozens of complaints from fed-up residents and businesses.

Dudley Council proposed closing the three roads to try and stamp out the nuisance.

If the plan had gone ahead Holbeache Lane would have been blocked off at both ends and a blockade put up close to the junction of Ham Lane and Oak Lane.

But the travellers say a written advertisement notifying people about the proposal was useless because they are unable to read.

The Community Law Partnership, a firm of solicitors which specialises in advising travellers, and the Centre for Equality and Diversity (CfED) in Dudley has made representations to the council for the group.

Ward councillor for Kingswinford North and Wall Heath, Dave Tyler, said there was concern closure of the roads would leave the group further alienated.

He said: “They think it is going to alienate their community even more but this is not about alienating communities, it is about making the area in which they live safer, cleaner and more crime free.”

Work to block the roads costing £10,000 was due to start last month but has now been halted. Dudley Council has brought a string of prosecutions for fly tipping but the area is still a magnet for flytippers. Rubbish dumped includes furniture and car parts to piles of rotten food.

Earlier this year rubbish was set alight by arsonists and firefighters had to battle for more than four hours to put out the blaze.