Ten controversial new red routes costing around £100,000 could be introduced on roads in a Black Country borough to help meet strict pollution targets.

The new routes stretch across much of the Sandwell area including Oldbury, West Bromwich, Blackheath and Tipton.

Dubbed pollution hotspots, they have fallen short of government guidelines due to the high levels of dangerous nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere, and red routes, which restrict parking and the knock-on effect of tailbacks, are seen as a way of cutting emissions.

Sandwell Council leader Bill Thomas said today that the bulk of the money would come from the Government as part of the local transport plan.

He said: “Red routes are favourable with the Government as they are seen as a way of reducing emissions as it cuts down on the stop start as traffic tends to flow better.

“We would have to go through an extensive consultation period first and we are talking about this happening over the next few years.”

Double red lines enforce strict no stopping and no loading restrictions along roads and were first used in a bid to ease congestion on some of London’s busiest commuter routes.

But business owners say that they devastate trade.

Sarj Singh, manager of D&B Supermarkets Ltd on Dudley Road, which has been suggested for the scheme, said: “It would cause us major problems. We have to load up from the front and it can take a while. What would they have us do? We couldn’t work if we couldn’t reload.”