Broadwas and Cotheridge Parish Council

Our proposals for improving safety on the A44

Background
For some years, the Parish Council has been receiving repeated complaints from parishioners about speeding through the parish.
In 2023 through our elected County Councillor we formally raised these concerns and requested a meeting with representatives from the County Council who hold primary responsibility for the Highways.
As a result of our District Councillor’s assistance (Cllr Barbara Jones Williams), a meeting was held with the assistant Police and Crime Commissioner at Cotheridge to discuss the high number of accidents and near misses.
Further meetings and contacts took place with the Police, in relation to the problems in Broadwas, and as a result their enforcement activity was increased. Unfortunately, our application for a Community Speed Watch scheme was turned down on the basis that it would not be safe for the volunteers.
In 2024 and 2025 the Parish Council has continued to press for a meeting with the County Council so that they could listen to our concerns. To date they have declined to meet with us.
The Parish Council has regularly and formally communicated with the Chief Constable, The Police and Crime Commissioner, our MP and the leaders and chief officers of the County and District Council. Our MP, the P&CC and the District Council have all responded showing that they take the concerns of parishioners seriously.
May 2025 saw the election of a new County Councillor (Mel Fordington) who has tirelessly taken the issue forward.
In July 2025 we learned indirectly that the County Council had commissioned a “road study”, and as a result are proposing to include some improvements in the 2026/27 Highways programme.
Cllr Fordington and the Parish Council have requested further information and details of the road study as there is no indication that our concerns have been heard and addressed.
At a recent meeting of the Parish Council some parents of children who attend the primary school in Broadwas reported they were conducting a petition about the speed of traffic and the overall road conditions as the A44 passes the school.

We ask the County Council to consider:
Cotheridge
1. Proceeding west from Worcester past Laylocks Garden Centre and just past the entrance to Upper Howsen Farm, there is regular flooding on the bend which forces traffic on both sides of the road to cross into the adjacent lane. Whilst this drain is to the best of our knowledge regularly cleared, the evidence of many years suggests that there may be a design flaw. This section of the road and the sharp bend mentioned (above) was the site of the recent incident that resulted in a fatality.
2. The stretch from the Lower Broadheath turning past the entrance to Cotheridge village (Church Lane) and through into the series of bends leading to Hill Top is like most of the A44, with the exception of Broadwas village, subject to the national speed limit. Our view is that this creates an unnecessary hazard in relation to the entrance/exit (Church Lane) and the series of bends. The Parish Council acknowledges that the County Council does not have a full and accurate record of the number, nature and type of accidents or incidents on this stretch, due to the application of various threshold criteria and acknowledged past problems in sharing and coordinating information from and with other agencies. The County Council measured speed on 3 stretches of the A44 in 2024, and concluded that there wais any no justification for changes to the speed limit. It is the view of the Parish Council not withstanding this that a reduction in the speed limit together with improved signage/road markings and other ways of encouraging drivers to take care, such as VAS devices, would help reduce risks to local residents and passing traffic.

Broadwas
1. On both sides of the village the speed limit reduces from the national limit to 30 mph, these are sited on blind bends with minimal signage and road markings, (signs are often obscured by overgrowth). As a result, entry speeds are often higher than they should be. The Parish Council would like to see (as are found in other villages in Worcestershire and elsewhere) the introduction of a buffer speed limit with appropriate signage/road markings to help drivers reduce speed and be more aware that they are entering a residential area.
2. Since 2023/24 West Mercia Police have prioritised enforcement activity in Broadwas, this has resulted in a considerable body of data and a number of high profile prosecutions. It is widely recognised that enforcement activity has limitations and is strengthened by other measures.
3. Given (2), the Parish Council would like to see the introduction of new and more effective speed warning devices (as the 3 VAS are outdated and unreliable) and would encourage both the County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner to consider other forms of technology that are demonstrated elsewhere to improve compliance with the law.
4. The Parish Council notes from contact with other parishes and authorities, that there are a range of other measures (such as optical road narrowing or visual traffic calming?) that can help drivers to be more aware of the need to comply with the 30 mph limit., Weand would hope that the Council in conjunction with the P&CC would adopt a more strategic and innovative approach, as is the case elsewhere nationally and in the police force area.

In Summary, the Parish Council requests:
Improved signage and road markings throughout the parish
Reduced speed limits between the Hill Top bends and Lower Broadheath turning
Instaillation of VAS and or ANPR cameras
A permanent solution for the frequent flooding on the bend opposite the entrance to Upper Howsen Farm.
Reduced speed limits and buffer zones either side of Broadwas village to create a phased reduction in speed
and advanced warning of the move from the national speed limit to the 30mph limit.
Improved signage and road markings in Broadwas
Consideration of other schemes to adapt the infrastructure and road lay out to incentivise adherence with the
speed limit in Broadwas
Replacement of current VAS’s with more up to date models and or ANPR cameras.

The Parish Council remains hopeful that officers of the County Council will meaningfully engage in a conversation about these proposals. The Parish Council is resolved to continue through the offices of our MP, the District Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner to press the County Council to come forward with positive and proposals that will demonstrate their commitment to road safety and prevention.

This updated version was formally adopted at the Parish Council meeting held on the 5th November 2025.