Birmingham Connected bulletin

June 2018

Birmingham Connected bulletin for June 2018 containing transport and travel news

Included in this update:

Birmingham is a busy place this summer. Major works will be taking place in the city centre and on the region’s road network, with some disruption unavoidable. Birmingham City Council and partners are working hard to keep the city moving, but with so much going on, it makes sense to plan ahead and think about how you travel. Our advice is

Leave the car at home and travel by bus, train, tram, bike, or on foot
Car-share with family, friends, or colleagues
Beat the traffic by travelling at quieter times
Avoid travelling by working from home

We want to keep you as informed as possible. Over the summer Birmingham Connected will be sending out updates every Friday. You can also visit our web pages to find out more about travel in Birmingham this summer or find out about current and future road works. Previous Birmingham Connected updates can also be viewed.

Dartmouth Circus work package

This package of works brings together and co-ordinates multiple schemes around Dartmouth Circus; one of the busiest junctions on the city’s road network. Much of the work will be carried out over the summer months, when traffic is lighter.

From Wednesday 4 July until Monday 3 September maintenance works will be carried out to ensure Dartmouth Circus meets modern standards. Work will be carried out 24 hours a day. During the works there will be phased lane closures around Dartmouth Circus Gyratory and overnight road closures of the A38(M) Aston Expressway Underpass into and out of city (from 8:30pm to 6:00am).

To coincide with the above works, Transport for West Midlands will be co-ordinating works to extend the priority bus lane on the Lichfield Road. This is one of many bus priority schemes which will help the movement of public transport around Birmingham.

These works are expected to take 8 weeks to complete.

Highways England will be carrying out work to remove structural steel works and temporary traffic management under slip roads at M6 Junction 6. Full closure of the outbound A38(M) Aston Expressway and associated slip roads will be required overnight from Wednesday 18 July (for up to 4 nights) and from Monday 6 August (for up to 4 nights). Find out more about the Dartmouth Circus works package.

Catch the Bus Week

2 to 8 July is Catch the Bus Week and Network West Midlands is running a competition giving you the chance to win a 4 week travel ticket. Simply get snapping a selfie on board a bus and send it to Network West Midlands on Facebook or Twitter. Visit www.networkwm.com/CTBW for more details, terms and conditions.

Take advantage of some great offers on public transport throughout the summer. Visit Network West Midlands for more information on tickets and passes and to plan your journey by bus, train or tram.

Clean air

Pollution in the air, mainly caused by vehicles with diesel engines, is having a harmful effect on the health of people living, working and studying in the city. The UK Government expects Birmingham, and a number of other cities, to introduce a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and significantly reduce levels of NO2 in the air. Birmingham’s proposed CAZ was discussed at Cabinet this week and the consultation process is likely to begin on 4 July. For more information about CAZ in Birmingham visit: www.birmingham.gov.uk/caz

Clean Air Day (21 June) saw many organisations and individuals across the city take action to help make Birmingham’s air cleaner. National Express West Midlands celebrated by offering free bus travel for a day and Brompton Bike Hire also offered discounts on the hire of their folding bikes. A number of Birmingham schools received Modeshift STARS awards in recognition of their ongoing work to promote active and sustainable travel. Well done to all involved and remember the Clean Air Day campaign is not just for one day of the year. We can all help reduce air pollution by driving less or being a greener driver.

Birmingham Cycling Revolution (BCR) cycling update

Construction of the A34 (Perry Barr to city centre) and A38 (Selly Oak to city centre) segregated cycle routes continues at pace. Whilst works take place, lane narrowing/restrictions will be required along the routes. Overnight restrictions are in operation at Belgrave Interchange junction from 10pm until 6am. Some pedestrian diversions are also in place.

Birmingham City Council has successfully bid for £1.3 million of Government funding to implement new safety measures, benefiting cyclists and pedestrians, at the junction of Pershore Road and Priory Road. The grant will be boosted to £1.5 million by the council. Find out more about the new funding.

The HSBC UK Let’s Ride Birmingham event, on Sunday 10 June, was an amazing start to Bike Week. Thousands of people took the opportunity to cycle on traffic-free streets in the city centre and enjoy the many benefits of cycling. Community Cycling Clubs across the city continue to offer people, of all abilities, the opportunity to take part in led rides and learn to ride sessions throughout the summer. Find a cycling activity to suit you.

The Big Birmingham Bikes Team has been handing out more orange bikes as part of the second Bike Giveaway. At the HSBC UK Let’s Ride event, Sir Chris Hoy presented bikes to some of the lucky recipients, with children receiving bikes as part of the BCR Bike Banks for Kids initiative.

In September Sir Chris Hoy will be talking about his new book and career in cycling at the Town Hall.

West Midlands Metro

From Sunday 24 June tram services in the region were taken over by Midland Metro Limited (MML) and renamed West Midlands Metro. The tram network is expanding massively over the next few years, including the extension from the city centre towards Edgbaston which is currently under construction. Passengers can immediately benefit from lower fares and new ticket packages introduced by MML. More information can be found on the new West Midlands Metro website: www.westmidlandsmetro.com.

HS2 enabling works

Work to prepare for the new HS2 Curzon Street Station continues, including a full archaeological excavation of the site and refurbishment of the Old Curzon Street Station building. More information about the HS2 works in Birmingham can be found in the attached newsletter or by visiting the HS2 in Birmingham website.

Longbridge Connectivity Project

In order to improve transport links to and around Longbridge, revitalise the local economy and support the regeneration of the town centre, a broad package of connectivity improvements is being delivered. As part of this project, work on Tessall Lane cycle improvements starts 2 July for approximately 4 weeks. The section of Tessall Lane between the River Rea Bridge & Longbridge Lane will be permanently closed to motor vehicle traffic from 2 July. Find out more about the Longbridge Connectivity Project.