News round-up for the Black Country and north Worcestershire

A major initiative to boost transport links, create vibrant town centres and help businesses grow across Dudley borough has been launched.

The community-led vision outlines ambitious plans for the next 12 years to create a thriving borough where people want to live, work and visit.

The proposals were outlined at Intu Merry Hill at an event which featured a driverless pod manufactured by Pensnett-based Westfield.

To read the full story click here.

Police have confirmed a teenager has died after his motorbike hit a tree in Quinton last night.

Emergency services were called to Wolverhampton Road at 11.45pm on Sunday September 9.

The 18-year-old was taken to Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital with serious injuries but he died earlier this morning.

To read more click here.

Council chiefs have approved a £21,000 safety scheme for Lye’s busy Pedmore Road and Cemetery Road junction.

Work to the area of the A4036, where pedestrians often cross the road near the junction to access bus stops, is getting underway this month and is expected to take up to five weeks.

To read more about the scheme click here.

Road rage killer Tracie Andrews will feature in a new documentary airing on CBS Reality later this month.

The documentary, “Evidence of Evil: The Road Rage Killer”, examines how advances in technology have revolutionised detective work, as seen through a number of high profile cases - such as Tracie Andrews.

Each episode comprises key witness testimonies, interviews, reconstructions and archive footage.

To read more about this click here.

New figures showing West Mercia Police has the second lowest rate for bobbies on the beat have been branded as ‘extremely concerning’.

Research by The Sunday Times revealed the force has an average of 8.5 frontline police officers per 100,000 population, with only Sussex Police having lower.

The force’s own figures show 1,930 officers were employed in the first quarter of this year compared with 2,071 in 2017.

To read the full story click here.

A statue celebrating Bewdley-born former Prime Minister will be given a royal seal of approval when it is unveiled later this month.

The Duke of Gloucester will visit the town on September 27 to officially unveil the monument in honour of Mr Baldwin, who led the country three times during the inter-war years. In total, he represented Bewdley in the House of Commons for almost 30 years.

To read more click here.