Road gets new signs following near misses
New signs have been installed on a major route through Wolverhampton after complaints from drivers who are confused by a new layout.
Work is taking place on the A449 Stafford Road at the Vine Island as part of a £3 million roadworks scheme.
A new layout has been installed while the i54 scheme takes place but there have been a series of near misses at the site.
And traders in a row of shops next to the island say motorists are struggling to understand the layout.
Council bosses today said drivers are breaking a 20mph speed limit imposed on the route and not allowing themselves enough time to negotiate the new layout. As a result they are to install new signs to 'reinforce the message'.
Kam Atwal, owner of the Lifestyle Express store near Vine Island, said: "The roadworks team have completely changed the road layout but signs have not been displayed clearly and this has caused accidents.
"When approaching the roadworks area from Wolverhampton there are no signs which show how to enter into the new layout to reach the shops. There are also no signs when approaching from the M54 either.
"There were nearly four serious accidents – a bus driver coming from Wolverhampton tried to drive into the lay-by in front of our shop. It took ten minutes to help him to reverse, and the same happened with a lorry. Then a lady tried to pull straight in as she used to do in front of our shop and again she was stuck. Then a man went round the wrong way into the layout and narrowly missed another car."
Lynn Roberts, who runs the Olive Grove gift shop in Stafford Road, has already complained her business is on the brink of closure because of the roadworks.
Lydia Barnstable, the council's head of transportation, said some motorists had not been observing the 20mph speed limit.
She added: We appreciate that people are still getting used to the new layout so we will be installing speed warning signs and additional signage over thecoming few days to reinforce the message and assist motorists."
