NEW traffic calming measures in Alvechurch to stop speeding have been given the go-ahead by the county council.

Alvechurch Parish Council clerk Yvonne Goode said additional traffic calming had now been agreed and the parish council would put in half of the cost, to be balanced by the county's Highways Partnership Unit.

"Councillor Syd Caddick has had a meeting with Mike Walton of the HPU to agree in principle the measures but they do need to be confirmed," she said.

"We have had a number of approaches from residents particularly worried about children following the incident of a child being knocked down in December 2004."

And Mike Walton, from the Highways Partnership Unit, said extensive traffic calming had been put in place a few years ago, and more were being installed in Radford Road as part of the Mill Farm development but several minor measures were being added.

"It's mostly the roads in and out of Alvechurch that are the problem," he said.

"On the Redditch road as it comes into Alvechurch we are hoping to put in a control island with bollards which should help slow the vehicles down."

He said there would also be an electronic sign that would flash the speed limit of 30mph with Slow Down in text underneath.

"That would cost in the order of £10,000-12,000, and the parish council did say they would find an amount which could be about £5,000," he added.

He said the work would be done in the next financial year 2006/7 and was likely to be done before Christmas.