WATCH: Dudley street blockade 'putting lives at risk'

Campaigners hope it will convince highways chiefs to reopen Blackacre Road, which has been shut since 2012. They say all the barriers have done is push the flood of traffic into surrounding streets.

The road was originally closed as part of a trial scheme costing £10,000 but the move later became permanent. Two blocks of concrete have prevented traffic from passing through ever since.

The measures were put in place following complaints the street was being used a a rat-run. More than 6,000 people a day were said to be using the narrow street as a short cut to Duncan Edwards Way every day.

But people living in nearby side roads around Buffery Park then complained that all the changes did was shift the traffic onto them.

Now a petition signed by hundreds calling on highways bosses to look again at the situation has been handed in to Dudley Council.

Phillip Wimlett, aged 67, who lives on Selborne Road, said: "We have been going to local forums for four years trying to get them to revisit Blackacre Road.

"We are not for one minute saying we don't realise people cut through Blackacre Road but our argument is they should try calming measures before just shutting it off and putting a barricade of concrete in place.

"They have shut off a road which can take three lanes of traffic and are forcing it round areas where you can only get one car down. There have been numerous accidents."

Despite the pressure from residents, it appears Dudley Council is not prepared to budge at present.

Alan Lunt, strategic director for place directorate, said: "There is no quick, easy fix to the issues at Blackacre Road and we have proposed a number of options over recent years, which have all been rejected by local residents.

"We are continuing to monitor traffic issues around the area, but have no immediate plans to re-open the road."

But Mr Wimlett believes opening the road and forcing vehicles to give way to each other by putting raised kerbs and bollards in place, as has happened on other roads, could be the answer.

He said: "No-one would be able to get to any kind of speed before reaching the next one. It works perfectly on other roads and something like that would be much better."