Walsall nature reserve speed humps rejected despite 4,400-name petition after cygnets run over

A petition, which has attracted more than 4,400 signatures, was set up after cygnets were run over back in June.

The petition, which was presented to the council by Councillor Claire Clews, calls on the council to install speed humps at the site, as well as renewing the rumble strip and keep better maintenance of bushes and hedgerows.

But a report prepared for the council meeting on September 19 concludes that the site does not meet the criteria for speed humps as there has been no reported personal injury collisions in the last five years.

However, council workers have trimmed the bushes, installed a new 20mph speed limit for nature zones and refreshed the carriageway lining.

Sean Coughlan, leader of Walsall Council, said: "In this particular incident people were queuing in traffic to allow the swans to get past and somebody pulled out, drove past the six cars, and hit them.

"There is nothing you can do to legislate for people's bad driving and nothing we can put in place would stop that. If we thought we could put measures in to negate that then we would."

A report to councillors said: "The existing measures to identify the presence of the nature reserve are suitable for the characteristics of the road use."