MOTORISTS could face a £70 fine if they drive through a new bus-only section of road in Blackheath town centre when enforcement begins next week.
Sandwell Council said the Blackheath bus gate will come into operation on Tuesday, September 1, as the final part of the new Blackheath Bus Interchange scheme.
The restricted section is between Birmingham Road and Long Lane and can only be used by buses, pedal cycles and emergency-service vehicles.
CCTV cameras will monitor the bus gate, with unauthorised drivers issued with a £70 penalty charge notice.
The charge will be reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days.
The restriction will apply 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Council chiefs said the measure is intended to improve safety for pedestrians, particularly bus passengers using the interchange, while also helping traffic move more smoothly through the town centre.
The route has been marked with signs and a different-coloured road surface to alert drivers before they enter the restricted area.
Cllr Bob Jones, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for environment and enforcement, said: “This is about bus passengers and other pedestrians feeling safer when they come to shop in the town centre.
“People can still drive through Blackheath town centre along Market Place via the new road layout that was installed last year.
“Whether you are travelling in a car or van, by bus, by bike or on foot, now is the perfect time to find out what Blackheath has to offer – come along and support local businesses and market traders.”
The bus gate forms part of wider improvements delivered through the Government-funded Rowley Regis Towns Fund Programme.
The Blackheath Bus Interchange and surrounding public space opened last year, bringing bus stops together in a central location.
The project also included wider pavements and new zebra crossings, aimed at making the town centre more accessible and inviting for visitors.
Drivers are being urged to check the signs and follow the revised road layout ahead of the enforcement date.
The council has published the legal order setting out the new traffic restrictions on its website.
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