THE battle to reopen Blackacre Road rumbles on as 600 fed up Kates Hill residents have signed a petition calling for a "sensible solution" to their traffic woes.

The road was shut off between Sheddon Street and Dando Street in June 2012, as it was being used as a cut-through off Dudley Southern Bypass - despite it being access only for many years.

But the closure has moved traffic problems elsewhere, according to the furious residents living in surrounding streets, who took to the steps of Dudley Council House on Thursday armed with placards urging the authority to “listen to the majority” and "stop mayhem on our streets".

Selborne Road resident Phil Wimlett said the council "totally ignored" an earlier petition signed by more than 600 objectors who predicted the closure would lead to "unacceptable traffic problems" for those living in other parts of the estate.

He said there was a "constant traffic flow" through the surrounding narrow streets, which had now become "dangerous" due to regular accidents.

The closure of King Street had been one of the main reasons that drivers had used the road as a cut-through, according to Mr Wimlett, but he said as it was open again, the council should re-visit the closure of Blackacre Road.

Paradise resident Satinder Atwal said she couldn't understand why the council had closed the road without first looking at traffic calming measures and Shazadi Shah, who lives on Sheddon Street, added: "It has just moved the problem to the surrounding areas, we've never seen so many accidents."

However, Alan Lunt, the council's strategic director for place directorate, has said there is "no quick, easy fix to the issues at Blackacre Road".

He continued: "We have proposed a number of options over recent years, which have all been rejected by local residents.

"We are continuing to monitor traffic issues around the area, but have no immediate plans to re-open the road.”