20mph speed limits in £200k Walsall high street safety move
Plans for a 20mph speed limit through a busy town centre are being drawn up by council chiefs.
Highways officers are looking at safety improvements worth more than £200,000 along Bloxwich High Street.
The scheme is subject to securing funding and is part of a review of roads being carried out by Walsall Council.
The proposals being worked on include a 20mph zone with raised table-top junctions, better markings, high friction surfacing and looking at access to and from side roads onto the High Street.
Council chiefs have said any work is not due to happen in the financial year and more firm details will need to be drawn up.
There were 25 accidents, of which five were considered serious, between November 2010 and 2013.
If funding is secured, it is expected to cost in the region of £230,000 and has been earmarked as one of the potential projects to pursue next year.
Bloxwich councillor Fred Westley said: "We get people coming along the High Street, turning right into Victoria Avenue, and they actually hold up traffic," he said. "We have got two pelican crossings within the High Street, we are talking about a very, very busy road with the amount of traffic going down there.
"It is a question of whether anyone can reach 20mph.
"Whatever they decide needs to be policed. They will need better consultation than over the red route." It comes as the council is looking at ploughing more than £350,000 into improving an accident hotspot after more than 40 crashes there in three years.
The council is looking at securing funds for safety improvements along the busy Wednesbury Road, which links the town centre and Pleck.
Changes being considered include improving a junction on the road, as well as markings and pedestrian refuges.
One scheme which is definitely goingahead is along Broadway West.
Better road signs, road markings and pedestrian refuges will be installed as part of a £55,000 scheme.
It comes after £75,000 was spent on revamping the road between Broadway and Birmingham Road island in January.
The £55,000 scheme has been allocated from the capital programme.
