THE introduction of a new speed limit at a Stourbridge accident blackspot will cost £10,000.

Dudley Council's transport boss has approved plans to reduce the speed limit along Norton Road from 40mph to 30mph.

The decision follows a number of accidents on the busy road, including one fatality, after 80-year-old Thelma Burley stepped out into the path of a car in December 2011.

Cllr Khurshid Ahmed, cabinet member for transport, approved the reduction on Friday (November 29), which he believes will lessen the risk to pedestrians and motorists.

During the consultation period, five people objected to the change, claiming that the 30mph speed limit would be ignored, it would increase congestion and pollution and it was unnecessary as there were a number of pedestrian crossing points along the road.

Another objections stated that visibility was good and the road was too wide for a 30mph speed limit.

However the council's collision records show that many of the accidents involved vehicles turning out of side roads along Norton Road and it is believed that with a reduced speed limit, those collisions could have been avoided due to lower approach speeds.

Cllr Mike Attwood said that while he did not object to reducing the speed limit, he did feel that the £10,000 implementation cost could be spent on something "more deserving".

He continued: "I would support any safety measure, however there are limited resources and some safety issues have greater priority than others. I suggest that there are some budgets which are more deserving.

"There must be many examples of expenditure like this where expenditure could have been set aside and put into children's centres."

The decision was welcomed by cllr Heather Rogers, who said: "I think the safety of everyone, pedestrians, drivers and cyclists is obviously very important and we all know speed kills.

"Norton Road is extremely busy at peak periods and I think most people would welcome the reduction."