REDUCING child casualties is the aim of a new set of proposals for traffic calming in Bewdley which will be thrown open to public scrutiny next week.

An exhibition detailing the revised scheme for residential streets around Cleobury Road goes on display in St George's Hall in Load Street on Monday and Tuesday.

People-power defeated the initial Worcestershire County Council plans, which involve £223,500 of Government money and are designed to make it safer for pupils of St Anne's First School to walk to school.

They were felt to be excessive and scrapped after sparking a public outcry in June.

Now a working group, chaired by Bewdley town councillor Ian Read, has come up with an alternative scheme which it hopes will reduce the total number of accidents in the area each year by eight, including three child pedestrian and three child cyclist casualties.

Mr Read said: "We are most grateful to the county council for the opportunity to contribute to the development of the scheme.

"It is believed to be the first time such a formulated group, consisting councillors, residents, police and officers of the county council has been set up in Worcestershire."

Members of the group visited Gloucester to view a similar scheme as part of their research into new ideas.

And they hope the new proposals will "reduce accidents and excessive speed and create a better environment for crossing some of Bewdley's roads".

Leaflets have been delivered to houses in the affected area this week and the exhibition runs from 10am to 8pm.

Replies to the consultation must be received by the county council by November 6.