Family of girl hit by car in Oldbury join calls for crossing

Eva Carpenter was left with a broken collar bone, an injured foot, cuts and grazes and a swollen lip after she was hit by a car at the junction of Castle Road West and Bleakhouse Road at around 8.24am on Monday (November 22).

The 12-year-old year seven pupil, who is a talented dancer, was on her way to Perryfields High when she was hit.

Pic: Eva's injuries 

Councillor Jay Anandou submitted a petition to Sandwell Council in January calling for a crossing there and said the accident could have been avoided had it listened.

Now cllr Anandou has contacted Eva's family and they are backing his call for a crossing nearby outside the Perryhill Tavern on Perryhill Road.

Cllr Anandou said he wants a crossing at this spot as Sandwell Council said it could not install a crossing at the Bleakhouse Road/Castle Road West island as it is home to utility service cables.

Eva's family are backing his calls and say they want action before someone else is injured or even killed.

Dad Lee Carpenter, aged 51, of Devon Road, said: "Eva was very lucky. We think the car glanced her rather than hitting her full on.

"She's feeling sorry for herself and we have got to wait for the collarbone to heal itself, but it could have been so much worse if the car had hit her full on.

"I was working from home and my wife rang me and said 'Eva's been hit'.

"I just ran to the car and drove up and saw a crowd of people - I didn't know what I was going to see.

"We haven't slept for nights since just thinking about what could have been."

Eva is a member of Epic Dance School and trains at Oldbury College of Sport on Saturdays. She is a member of the dance school's elite group and has won a string of competitions.

Mr Carpenter said: "Kids are crossing that road every morning to get to school.

"Luckily this wasn't a fatality - we don't want anyone else to go through what we have been through or for someone to be killed.

"It's a no brainer to have a crossing there and even a lollipop lady. There's parked cars, speeding cars and it's a bit of a cut through. It's very dangerous."

Mr Carpenter said the driver of the car stopped to help Eva.

Cllr Anandou said on social media: "Earlier this year I submitted a petition to the council signed by over 170 residents urging the council to erect a safe pedestrian crossing system.

"The council gave me several reasons why not to have a pedestrian crossing there but not a single solution.

"What angers me is this accident could have been avoided if someone would have listened to the call of residents, hope this is a wake-up call for the authorities.

"I have today written to the leader of the council to take immediate action and this time we will not rest until a solution is provided for the hazardous junction near One Stop."

A spokesman for Sandwell Council said: “The council is saddened to hear of a child being involved in a road traffic accident at the junction of Perry Hill Road and Castle Road West in Oldbury.

“Until this point, records have shown that the junction has had a very good road safety record with no road casualties being recorded in the previous five years.

"Consequently, despite previous requests to improve the junction, the limited budgets made available for road safety works have been prioritised to areas where regular road injuries have occurred and would likely continue unless improvements were made.

“Sandwell highway officers are now working with West Midlands Police to establish details of the incident at Perry Hill Road.

"This will provide a better understanding of the circumstances around the unfortunate accident.

"The details from the police will help the council determine the next steps in line with its current Road Safety Strategies and Policies.”

West Midlands Police have been contacted for comment.