Reducing Penn Road speed limit 'would make busy route more dangerous'

Residents in Penn Road had been supportive of the proposals to cut the 40mph limit, including at the section of the road which turns into a dual carriageway.

But traffic bosses believe accidents could be more frequent after carrying out a study and now believe the only way to safely implement the slower speed limit would be to install traffic calming measures, either road humps or speed cameras.

Councillors are waiting for the completion of a speed camera trial in Birmingham, which has caught thousands of motorists, but it could up to a year before results are used as evidence to support the campaign.

Penn Councillor Martin Waite said: "There is going to be a delay in implementing that.

"A consultation was held and the response to it was favourable.

"The vast majority of people were in support of reducing the speed limit.

"Traffic inspectors attended and assessed the road and based on studies of similar roads and on the layout of this particular road.

"It was the council's recommendation reducing the limit to 30mph without speed enforcement measures would actually make it more dangerous.

"So the only options are either speed humps, which just wouldn't work on that road given the amount of traffic that passes through it on a daily basis, or speed cameras.

"There are speed cameras, which are being trialled in Birmingham at the moment, to see if having them there and switched on at appropriate sites actually has a positive impact on reducing speeding and accidents.

"Once that is finished, it may be decided to install them on the Penn Road and get the limit down to 30mph."