CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating victory after the abandoning of a controversial traffic-calming scheme for Bewdley.

Worcestershire County Council's director of environmental services, Richard Wigginton, agreed there was no way the authority can proceed with the £223,000 project after talks with protesters.

The meeting was called after residents forced the West Midlands' first ever parish poll to have their say on the contentious plan at the end of May, when 80 per cent of voters came out against it.

Protesters say the 53 humps, platforms and chicanes for residential streets around Cleobury Road, were intended to make the walk to school safer for local children, would have "paralysed" the west of the town.

'Targeted'

However, 86 per cent of people were in favour of more "targeted" measures, which now look likely to emerge in the form of county council-funded crossing points on Cleobury Road and Wyre Hill.

Campaigner Mike Hardiman hailed Mr Wigginton's approach as "very professional".

"The people of Bewdley have spoken quite clearly and we're just pleased this crazy proposal has been stopped," he added.

The town council rubber-stamped the decision at a meeting last night.

The town's Mayor, Frank Baillie, said: "The traffic-calming scheme has degenerated into such a state of disorder that the best option at this time is for all involved parties to take a breather and return to the subject later with more universally acceptable proposals."