CAMPAIGNERS are breathing huge sighs of relief as the final nail is hammered into the coffin of a controversial traffic-calming scheme for Bewdley.

Mayor Frank Baillie has revealed the town council will rubberstamp a decision by county officials not to proceed with the £223,000 scheme - which protesters say would have "paralysed" the west of the town - at its meeting on Monday night.

History was made when residents forced the West Midlands' first ever parish poll to have their say on the contentious plan at the end of May.

But they feared their views would be ignored even though 80 per cent of those who went to the ballot box voted against the plan to harness Government funding to make it safer to walk to school for pupils of St Anne's first and middle.

Now, following a meeting with residents' leader Tony Hall, Worcestershire County Council's director of environmental services Richard Wigginton has agreed there is no way the authority, which is handling the project, can proceed.

The parish poll gave the thumbs down to 53 calming features - including humps, platforms and chicanes - for residential streets around Cleobury Road was excessive for the needs of the area.

However, 86 per cent of voters 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 actually been stopped.

"All credit to Health Concern and Frank Baillie. He has adopted a very strong democratic position and has delivered what the people of Bewdley want.

"He wasn't a supporter of our campaign but he recognises the strength of feeling," Mr Hardiman added.

Prior to May's elections, which saw an influx of nine new members, the town council had backed the scheme and Mr Baillie has consistently supported it.

But he confirmed the town council would agree to scrap it following "lengthy" talks with Mr Wigginton, who is writing to the council in time for Monday's meeting.

"The traffic-calming scheme currently under consultation has degenerated into such a state of disorder locally 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," Mr Baillie said.

Mr Hardiman hailed the effectiveness of the "safety valve" parish poll, which can be demanded by 10 residents on a relevant subject at a town or parish council's annual meeting. It is thought to have been used about only a dozen times in the country.

"If residents hadn't opposed this in the way they did it would have paralysed the west side of Bewdley," he added.