Road Safety
Sandwell Council has confirmed that its new Community Road Safety Concern Programme 2025/26 is moving ahead, with schemes now being designed and the first works expected on site from January 2026.
The programme was established earlier this year following the allocation of additional funding to address locations where local residents, councillors, and MPs have raised repeated safety concerns – even in places where accident records have not previously met the thresholds set out in the Sandwell Strategic Road Safety Plan 2024–2030.
In June, all councillors were invited to nominate priority sites for consideration. A total of 57 sites were submitted across Sandwell’s six towns. These were carefully assessed by the council’s Road Safety team, using a detailed scoring process that considered factors such as accident history, traffic flow, speed, community concern, and financial feasibility.
Following assessment:
- 7 sites were already included in wider highways improvement projects and were not taken forward under this programme.
- 6 sites could not progress due to other constraints.
- 44 sites were fully assessed and prioritised for delivery across Sandwell’s 6 towns.
Since the programme was first announced, additional funding has been secured through developer contributions and the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement, enabling the council to deliver more schemes than originally anticipated.
Design work is now under way, with delivery planned to continue throughout 2026. Some projects will require statutory consultation with residents, while others are expected to move forward more quickly.
Councillor Keith Allcock, Cabinet Member for Environment and Highways said:
“This programme shows that Sandwell is listening to its communities and acting on their concerns. By investing in these schemes, we are improving safety in places that matter most to residents – especially for children, pedestrians, and cyclists. I’m delighted we’ve been able to secure even more funding to expand the programme.
“This investment of £3.5m highlights how Sandwell is a caring Council, that listens to our residents and gets things done.”
Ward councillors will continue to receive updates as schemes develop and consultation events are planned, helping ensure that proposals reflect local priorities and secure community support.