Road Safety

Important Travel Update | New Bus Gate on Grove Lane, Smethwick

We want to let you know about a new bus gate that has been introduced on Grove Lane, Smethwick, near the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.

A CCTV enforcement camera has been installed at this location and will soon go live. This means that any unauthorised vehicle driving through the bus gate will receive a penalty charge notice (PCN) of £70 (reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days).

Why is the bus gate in place?

• The bus gate forms part of the public transport route serving the new hospital.
• The road was previously closed to general traffic but has been reopened for buses and authorised vehicles only.
• It is designed to act as a public transport hub for hospital drop-offs and to keep traffic moving smoothly in this busy area.

What is a bus gate?

A bus gate is a section of road reserved for buses (and other authorised vehicles).

• It is in effect 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• It helps to prioritise buses, reduce congestion and improve air quality.

When will fines start?

• From Monday 20th October, drivers who pass through the bus gate without authorisation will receive a warning notice instead of a fine.
• From Tuesday 2nd November, PCNs will be issued to unauthorised vehicles.

We encourage all residents and visitors to plan ahead and use alternative routes if you are not travelling by bus.

Road Safety Week 2025 | 16th – 22nd November

Have a Safe T.R.I.P. | Winter 2025

National Highways wants everyone to be safe on the roads this winter. As temperatures drop and the risk of snow, ice, and heavy rain increases, they are reminding us to prepare before we set off.

Winter driving can be unpredictable, so before you travel, use a route planner and check for traffic updates. Do not leave for a long journey without an ice scrapper, sunglasses for low winter sun, water, snacks, a blanket, jump leads, and a fully charged mobile phone.

So, remember T.R.I.P.:

T: Top-up fuel, check your oil and screen-wash, ensure you are charged (Electric vehicles use more energy in colder temperatures)

R: Rest every 2 hours for at least 15 minutes

I: Inspect your tyre tread and pressure (Replace your tyres if the tread is less than 1.6mm)

P: Prepare for the weather and check your route before setting off

Please visit National Highways to find out more about their campaign.

Dashboard Warning Lights | Winter 2025

National Highways have launched a campaign to understand the importance of dashboard warning lights. They are designed to provide you with information and to warn when there may be an issue with your vehicle.

If they remain on when you start your engine, you should seek advice and assistance. If a light comes on while you are driving, it is important to take the right action.

• Red warning lights – This means there may be a serious fault with your vehicle. Do not begin a journey with a red warning light showing.
• Amber warning lights – This is advisory and suggests that your vehicle needs maintenance or checking. You should not set off on a journey with an amber warning light showing.
• Green, White or Blue warning lights – These lights provide general information about your vehicle. You do not need to stop if these appear, but it's a good habit to find out what they mean at your next planned stop.

Remember, if a red or amber warning light appears while you are driving, do not stop in a live lane unless absolutely necessary. If you can safely drive your vehicle, continue to the next junction or service area to seek help. If you cannot leave the carriageway, move into the left lane or pull into an emergency area, layby, or hard shoulder.

Please visit National Highways to find out more about their campaign and follow their Driving on Motorways advice.

Don’t Put Drugs in the Driving Seat | Winter 2025

The latest ‘THINK!’ campaign from the Department for Transport reminds drivers of the risks and consequences of drug driving. You could lose control of your life, your freedom and your future. Driving on drugs isn’t worth it. Leave the car, call your mate, get home safe.

THINK! Don’t put drugs in the driving seat.

Please visit THINK! to find out more about their campaign.

DVSA Updates | Spring 2026

From Spring 2026, the rules for booking and managing car driving tests will change.

The new rules will mean that, as a learner driver:

• only you will be allowed to book your own driving test – your driving instructor will not be able to book it for you
• you will only be allowed to make a total of 2 changes to your driving test appointment, e.g., changing the date or time, the test centre and swapping your appointment with another learner driver who already has a test booked
• you will only be allowed to move your test to centres near to where you originally booked

From 2026, car and motorcycle theory tests will include new cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) questions to boost cardiac arrest survival. This means that hundreds of thousands of people annually will gain knowledge of life-saving skills through the enhanced questions.

Please visit DVSA to find out more about their Ready to Pass campaign.

Calling All Key Stage One Staff in Sandwell Schools | 2025

Digital Road Safety is still available completely free of charge for all Sandwell schools. Research shows that children learn road safety best by being immersed in the environment.

Following recognised pedestrian training techniques, children view the roadside from the unique viewpoint of the pedestrian and by looking right and left they are in a tangible situation.

Visit Digital Road Safety and get started!

Coming soon! 

A new app-based version with new content for KS1 and Year 6. Why not contact us if you would like to be one of the first to get involved.

Help us to pilot this new exciting resource. For more information email Road_Safety@sandwell.gov.uk

Record, Report, Result! | West Midlands Police Operation Snap 2025

West Midlands Police want to make sure our roads are as safe as possible for all users, and they need your help with Operation Snap.

Did you know you can now send footage of dangerous drivers to West Midlands Police, so that action can be taken?

Each piece of footage, whether recorded on a dashcam, CCTV or a mobile phone held by a passenger, is reviewed by specially trained staff. If an offence is identified, the driver can be prosecuted or told to take a driver improvement course.

Offences might include:

• dangerous driving
• using a mobile phone while driving
• not wearing a seatbelt
• failing to stop at a red traffic light
• using a trailer in lane three of a motorway
• crossing solid white lines
• other offences where a driver is clearly not in proper control of a vehicle

Thousands of people have already sent in dashcam, helmet cam and mobile footage showing careless and reckless driving that puts lives at risk.

Four in five reports sent in by the public have resulted in a positive outcome, including warning letters, education courses, fixed penalties and prosecution.

Reports must be submitted within 10 days of the alleged offence and footage should include the whole incident (and, wherever possible, one minute prior to and after the offence).

Along with the footage, submissions need to include details about the date, time and location of the incident, and the registration, make and colour of the vehicle.

If you are reporting an incident that involves a collision, please do not use this service. Instead, please call West Midlands Police on 101, select option 1 and provide details within 24 hours of the collision taking place.

Submit your footage here.