Alumwell Road Road Safety Scheme

Thank you to those who responded to this public consultation regarding the proposed Promotion of Community Health and Safety Scheme on the Alumwell Road.

The scheme was developed following residents’ concerns about traffic speeds and road safety, alongside records of collisions involving personal injury. 

Road safety and collisions

Residents raised concerns about road safety and the history of collisions on Alumwell Road.

During the assessment period, nine injury collisions were recorded, including one serious collision and eight slight collisions. 

Parking and pavement obstruction

Concerns were raised about vehicles parking on pavements and the problems this can cause for pedestrians, particularly disabled people, people with mobility difficulties and visually impaired people.

Obstruction of the highway, including pavements, is dealt with by the police rather than the Highway Authority (Walsall Council). Residents experiencing obstruction issues can report them to West Midlands Police, including through Operation SNAP.

Parked vehicles and traffic congestion

Residents highlighted difficulties caused by parked vehicles, particularly when vehicles travelling in opposite directions need to pass each other. Suggestions included double yellow lines and making the road one-way.

These suggestions have been noted but would need separate consideration, taking account of parking demand, traffic flow, access to properties and possible impacts on surrounding roads and junctions. The current scheme is primarily intended to improve road safety by encouraging appropriate vehicle speeds rather than addressing parking or congestion directly.

Speed limit signs and enforcement

Residents asked for clearer speed limit signs and greater use of speed cameras.

The council will review the existing speed limit signage and consider additional repeater signs. Speed-limit enforcement and speed cameras are the responsibility of West Midlands Police. All Black Country local authorities are working with the police to identify potential future locations for camera enforcement, which must meet specific collision and speed criteria.

Dropped kerbs for pedestrians

Concerns were raised about the lack of dropped kerbs at junctions along Alumwell Road, particularly in relation to accessibility.

The council will consult its Access Officer and consider providing dropped kerbs at junctions.

Speed cushions and parking 

A concern was raised about the proposed specific location of some speed cushions and their potential effect on parking.

The council will amend the position of the identified speed cushions so they do not adversely affect on-street parking. There are no proposals for new parking restrictions in this location. Minor changes will also be required to the zig-zag markings associated with the proposed raised zebra crossing, but no loss of on-street parking is anticipated as a result of the proposals.

Disabled parking bays and dropped kerbs

Walsall Council provides residential advisory disabled parking bays free of charge, subject to eligibility criteria, and residents can apply to the council.

Residents can also apply to the council for a domestic vehicle crossing, commonly known as a dropped kerb, where a pavement lies between the road and a driveway.

Equality and accessibility

Residents asked how equality considerations had been taken into account.

The council considers the potential impact of schemes on different groups where an Equality Impact Assessment is appropriate and proportionate. This includes people with disabilties, older people, people with mobility impairments and other protected groups. Accessibility requirements and the needs of all highway users have been considered in developing the Alumwell Road scheme and will continue to be considered during its design and implementation.

Next steps

Based on the comments and overall support, a decision has been reached, in the interests of highway safety and the amenity of local residents, to progress the proposals to delivery later this financial year.  Properties along the route will be notified of when the works are due to take place.

The scheme will be closely monitored and reviewed once it has been in operation for an appropriate period. We will assess both its effectiveness and any impacts arising from its implementation. Should the monitoring identify a need for further improvements, we will consider additional measures and make recommendations where appropriate.