'Problem' Walsall road frightens residents after speeding

A "problem road" has left people frightened in their own homes as constant speeding continues to cause accidents.

The latest crash on Fordbrook Lane in Pelsall saw a car smash into the front of a home and land vertically on top of the homeowners car.

Larry Marlow's Honda CR-V was left battered after the crash, after a suspected drunk driver veered off the road in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

His wife Pam also saw damage to her Honda Jazz as fuel was strewn across the front of their house.

A 21-year-old man was arrested and later released as police continue to investigate.

Now, neighbours are asking for more safety precautions on their road to stop "selfish" drivers from speeding around the sharp bend.

Mark Rouse, aged 72, lives with his wife Mavis and are next door to Larry and Pam.

He said: "People come around the bend and put their foot down, particularly after 10pm, they come down here as fast as they can.

"It worries me, there's been a number of incidents and it really is a problem road, something needs to be done.

"People don't take any notice of speed cameras as most of them don't work.

"It's frightening, I always cross the road if I'm walking as I feel much safer.

"It's awful to know that people can disregard safety in the way that they do, it's selfish as they're putting other people's lives in danger."

Located less than a mile from Shelfield Community Academy, neighbours say that children often walk along their road and that consistent speeding is putting their lives at risk.

Sue Cotterill, aged 49, said: "We have been trying for years to get something done.

"There's children around here and everyday there's speeding.

"It's terrifying to hear the cars screeching, they're putting lives into their hands.

"It makes me angry, people here work all their life and earn the things they have and then people speed and cause accidents, innocent people are suffering.

"We petitioned a few years ago and they put some signs up but said that's all they could do.

"Speeds bumps would help as people would have to slow down."

Jo Smith, aged 76, added: "It's terrible, I lay awake at night and hear them coming around the bend.

"I'm used to it by now but when things happen like they did to Pam and Larry, it worries you, people will end up being killed.

"They have to do something to make it better before people get hurt.

"It's not nice to think that if it was in the daytime kiddies could have been around and been hurt."

The morning after the crash, Pam and Larry were cleaning up debris, including glass and car parts, while trying to remove the smell of petrol from the front of their house.

Larry said: "It's difficult to do without disrupting people as it's a main road, but speed cameras is a start, something needs to be done, it's getting worse."

"We've learnt to live with it, we've been here since 1974 and in that time I've seen five similar incidents.

"It's even happened on the road while I was mowing the lawn, so I've seen it happen.

"The number of times when we see a lunatic come past, this isn't a road where anyone should think of overtaking someone, but it happens all the while.

"There's some people who have no patience and if someone is doing 30mph, which is the speed limit, they'll overtake them, I see it time and again."

Pam added: "There needs to be some speed awareness, and speed cameras, the signs and limit has no effect on people, especially on the bend."