Accident blackspot near where PCSO Holly Burke was killed to get £750,000 to improve safety
An accident blackspot close to where an off-duty police community support officer was killed by a driver will receive £750,000 worth of improvements in a bid to improve safety.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper this week announced that the A4030 Smethwick High Street and Bearwood Road will receive the cash as part of a £47.5 million programme to reduce the number of fatalities and injuries on England's roads.
The improvements will take place along the A4036 between its junctions with Hagley Road, Bearwood and Tollhouse Way, Smethwick after it was classified as one of the 27 most dangerous roads in England.
In January 2019, 28-year-old PCSO Holly Burke was killed at the junction between the road and Hagley Road.
The A439, between the A46 and the A4300 in Stratford-Upon-Avon, is the only other road in the West Midlands to benefit, with just over £1.3 million earmarked for improvements.
It is part of £47.5m in national investment which, it is hoped, will prevent over 750 fatal and serious injuries over the next 20 years. It will also save the economy £420 million.
The money for improvements has been welcomed by Sandwell Council. The road has been the scene of a number of serious accidents and the death of PCSO Burke shocked the region.
She died when a car driven by a disqualified driver high on crack cocaine struck her during a police pursuit. The driver, Darren Ogom, was jailed for nine years.
PCSO Burke was based at Nechells as part of the Washwood Heath neighbourhood team and had been an officer for 14 months. She was described at the time as "greatly valued" by West Midlands Police.
A spokesman for Sandwell Council said: "The council takes its responsibilities for road safety and reducing road casualties seriously, so we’re very pleased to have this funding to improve road safety along the A4030 Bearwood Road.
“This is one of the roads identified by the Road Safety Foundation – who the council has worked with to scope out this scheme – as needing action to reduce the risk of road accidents. It’s estimated that these substantial improvements will potentially save 24 fatal or serious road injuries over the next 20 years.
“Improvements will include new and upgraded pedestrian crossings, improved cycling provision and a review of parking restrictions, as well as refreshing road markings and reducing the speed limit in places where appropriate.
"The scheme will be finalised following a public consultation. The improvements to the A4030 Bearwood Road will cover a 2.7km stretch between the A456 Hagley Road and A457 Tollhouse Way in Smethwick.
“These improvements to road safety for Bearwood and Smethwick build on our commitment to improving road safety in Sandwell. We’ve seen the number of road casualties reduce by almost a fifth between 2017 and 2021, and the number of accidents and injuries involving children have reduced by 30 per cent during the same period."
The Safer Roads Fund aims to target the 27 most dangerous roads in England by redesigning junctions and improving signs and road markings.
The Government says the programme will reduce the risk of collisions, congestion, journey times and emissions. Mr Harper insisted Britain’s roads are "some of the safest in the world" but said more work was needed to make them safer.
He said the schemes were selected on the basis of data provided by the Road Safety Foundations, which looked at the number of fatal and serious injuries, as well as traffic levels.
