VOTERS will go to the polls over a controversial proposed Bewdley traffic calming scheme at the end of this month, it has been revealed.

The town's historic first parish poll will be held on Thursday, May 30.

Twenty-seven residents opposed to the £223,000 plan for 53 calming features in streets around Cleobury Road turned up at Bewdley Town Council's annual parish meeting last month to exercise their right to a poll.

The power, which entitles residents to a vote on a relevant issue providing at least 10 of them demand it, has never been used in Bewdley before.

However, the scheme could go ahead even if residents vote against it.

Worcestershire County Council project manager Richard Attwood said he would await the outcome of the vote before investigating whether the authority was obliged to abide by a possible negative result and scrap the plan.

The poll's £1,300 cost has been covered by the town council while the election-style vote has been organised by Wyre Forest District Council.

A spokesman said the rules of parish polls limit voting hours to between 4pm and 9pm.

The three polling stations will be St George's Community Hall, St Anne's Middle School and Wribbenhall Community Centre.

The calming scheme is the latest version of a plan first launched by the county council at the end of 2000 to harness Government funding to make walks to school safer for pupils of St Anne's first and middle schools.

It was shelved following a public outcry at the scale of the project last summer - but the revamped proposals have been approved by a divided working group of councillors, police and residents.

However, some townsfolk insist while they are not opposed to the concept they feel the project is still unsuitable for the area.

Campaigner Mike Hardiman said the poll would be held sooner than expected but added: "We've only got a couple of weeks but there are about 50 of us who will go round leafleting and letting people know how this scheme will affect them."