Traffic calming promised by spring
Traffic calming on a notorious Staffordshire road will take place by next spring, highways bosses have pledged.
Traffic calming on a notorious Staffordshire road will take place by next spring, highways bosses have pledged.
Staffordshire County Council is planning to install speed tables in Stafford Lane, Hednesford.
The tables stretch across the full width of a road junction and are designed to tackle speeding. The idea for the speed tables, which are larger than the average speed hump, was supported by a majority of residents after a consultation exercise earlier this year.
In total 90 residents were in favour of junction tables, 50 residents were in favour of speed cushions and 30 homeowners supported the idea of cameras.
Now transport bosses at the council are set to formally advertise the plans in July and allow 28 days for objections.
If a member of the public does lodge a formal objection the plan could be delayed until this winter.
Dave Wright, from Staffordshire Highways said: "We now plan to formally advertise the speed tables plan. The formal consultation will be throughout July with 28 days for objections.
"If we don't have any formal objections it could done in the autumn but in any event the money for the scheme has been allocated in this financial year so it would have to be completed by March 2010."
Stafford Lane residents have campaigned for action on the road after numerous accidents including the death of 20-year-old Robert Forbes who was killed when he crashed into a tree in April 2007.
His death sparked renewed calls for safety measures and residents handed in a 400-name petition to police and highways bosses highlighting the problems.
The council has installed temporary speed signs which flash the speed of oncoming cars in a bid to make motorists think about their speed.
These signs are moved around hotspot areas and brought back but whilst at Stafford Lane there were claims some boy racers used them as an electronic scoreboard.
Labour ward councillor Gordon Ball has supported traffic calming on Stafford Lane. He said: "The problem is that you do gain speed as you go down the hill. Something does need to be done."
