Crashes toll on M6 motorway tops 90 near huge Walsall advert

But the sign based in the grounds of the Banks's Stadium in Walsall and was converted to digital this spring is poised to remain for the next five years. It comes after consultants said there is no evidence linking the sign, which looms over the motorway, to a rise in accidents and the LED signs are now earmarked to get retrospective permission. However the Highways Agency and residents have raised concerns.

The digital adverts replaced the existing boards on the sign erected five years ago. It was part of a £2 million investment.

There are a series of other unrelated illuminated posters and light boxes in the area.

Last month, five people including a baby were injured after a car hit the central reservation of the M6 between junction nine for Wednesbury and 10 for Walsall.

It closed the motorway for more than an hour. There was also a four vehicle pile-up which closed the M6 near Wednesbury in June 2011 after a HGV, a van and two cars collided between junction nine for Wednesbury and 10 at Walsall.

Fire crews from West Bromwich, Handsworth, Walsall and the major rescue unit from West Bromwich used cutting equipment to free a woman passenger, aged in her 20s, from a car.

In April 2010, a car and lorry collided on the southbound carriageway between junction 10 for Walsall and nine for Wednesbury, causing delays for rush hour drivers.

In a report to Walsall Council, consultants said there have been three serious or fatal accidents which have taken place on the adjacent stretch of the M6 between 2008-12. There were another 91 classified as slight.

It states: "The technical note concludes that the accident record does not suggest any significant safety issue, nor any causation by the previous advertisements, or other advertisements nearby."

The application to keep the digital adverts in Bescot Crescent for five years is recommended for approval by members of the planning committee on Thursday. There have been five letters or emails of complaints from residents in Westmore Way, Wednesbury, claiming it is already too large, distracting, excessively bright and an eyesore.

The signs are currently between 30 and 35m by seven metres and are expected to be increased to 12m, to cover the whole area of space available.

A statement from the Highways Agencysaid: "Based on experience of smaller electronic adverts at other locations we und- erstand that high levels of LED illumination can impair the visibility of motorists."

David Elsworthy, head of planning at the council, said the determining issues are public safety and visual amenity.