New call for action over Black Country danger road
Residents are calling for speed deterrents on one of the Black Country’s busiest roads after a horrific crash killed two young boys.
The latest collision on the Birmingham New Road saw Sanjay Singh and his brother Pawanveer die at the junction with Lawnswood Avenue, in Wolverhampton.
Their mother, who was driving the white BMW they were travelling in, suffered serious injuries but is now recovering at home.
Saad Mohammed, aged 36, who, lives on Lawnswood Avenue, was the first person on the scene after watching the crash unfold.
He told the Express & Star: “I was smoking outside my house and I saw the Audi hit the BMW.
“I ran over and helped the woman. I went to get her a blanket but she was asking for her mobile so she could ring her husband. I called an ambulance at that point. The family were innocent, it’s a tragedy.”
Off-duty taxi driver Tanveer Hussain also quickly arrived at the scene when he was driving past the McDonalds on the Birmingham New Road, towards Wolverhampton, before two cars went past him.
The 32-year-old from Tipton, said: “I heard the bang but didn’t realise what had happened at first. It is so tragic and shocking.”
People living near the crash site have spoken of their shock and devastation at the tragedy.
The circumstances surrounding the crash are unclear, but people living nearby say there is a general problem with a road that has a 40mph speed limit.
Dan Blunt, who lives on Lawnswood Avenue, laid flowers at the scene to “pay respects” to the young victims.
The 27-year-old said: “I was on Facebook and saw what happened, I came to pay my respects.
“I had the day off work and wanted to come down. This really is shocking.
“What can you do about it – you still have people speeding down here all the time.
“Even if you had cameras switched on down here you can’t stop people speeding.
“To think it is near where I live is shocking, I don’t know the family but it’s awful.”
Richard Jones, aged 44, also lives on Lawnswood Avenue and was coming home from work when he saw the scene.
He said the accident had shaken the entire community.
Tragic
He added: “This is so tragic and very sad.
“I was coming home from work and saw all the police cordon and the scene.
“People speed down this road and the Birmingham New Road terribly.
“It’s scary living close to it, there needs to be some kind of speed deterrent here.
“I don’t know what can be done to stop it but the cameras need switching on and there needs to be a deterrent to stop it from happening. It’s a matter of time before someone speeds and comes through my living room.”
Kerri Jones, aged 29, who lives on nearby Bevan Avenue, said: “There’s a lot of accidents here but I haven’t seen one this bad.
“I’m angry at the people who run off.
“Working speed cameras would be a start here, we need them.”
It was announced last month that average speed cameras were making a return to hand-picked roads in the Black Country.
Funding was made available by Dudley Council to introduce the cameras on the Birmingham New Road and the A458 from Lye to Halesowen.
Despite the move, the cameras on the Birmingham New Road have been restricted to between Shaw Road and the junction for Burnt Tree, meaning the area that this crash happened in would not be monitored.
