CAMPAIGNERS are calling for council bosses to take action on a dangerous Cradley rat run which has been plagued by traffic problems for nearly three decades.

More than 600 members of the local community, as well as local councillors and school heads have already backed Lisa Scally’s campaign to make Colley Gate safe for pedestrians.

In the past 12 months there have been a series of incidents and near misses around the area which Lisa – whose sons attend the nearby Colley Lane Primary School – said has left people feeling “very angry” and “frightened”.

The e-petition, which needs to find 3,000 signatures, urges Dudley Council to help stop further incidents and potential fatalities.

To sign the petition visit http://cmis.dudley.gov.uk/cmis5/epetitions.aspx.

Carole Barnard, who lives just off Colley Lane, was badly hurt in January this year as she was crossing Cradley Hill.

After making a full recovery, Carole said: “I am worried that unless something is done to make Colley Lane safer there will be further accidents. I wouldn’t want anyone to go through what I have, especially a child.”

Halesowen North councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for environment, said she is not aware of any “immediate decisions” being made by the council regarding safety in the area.

She added: “The council are aware of the petition and it is a matter which is currently being looked into by the highways department.

“As this is an issue which has taken place over a long period of time I would have hoped local councillors would have already raised this with the council.”

Other parents from the Colley Lane school claim things are so bad that cars park on the school pedestrian crossing. They also tell of traffic congestion that makes it almost impossible to safely navigate Slade Road and Barrack Lane.

Cradley councillors have reported that the area has been plagued by traffic problems for nearly three decades and that Government forecasts show things are set to get worse – with official predictions showing an increase in road use of 40 per cent over the next few years.

Cllr Tim Crumpton said: “Locally no one is under illusion about how difficult it is going to be to get something done but enough is enough and things have to change.

“In simple terms Parliament knows that traffic accidents cost the economy £6.5bn per annum whilst measures to prevent accidents would cost £3.5bn.

“The maths is easy but it begs the question as to why nothing is being done.”

Lisa's sons walk to school most days and she said they would love, if they could, to walk on their own, but traffic conditions are too scary for this to happen.

“At the end of last summer a speeding car hit a parked vehicle – that car was written off,” she said. “That was the second time this year this has happened and police said if it had been ten minutes later then a child would have been killed.”

As well as signing the petition, residents are also being urged to report any road traffic incidents they know about to the council or the police.

Anyone having any difficulty with reporting should contact their ward councillors.