Traffic lights stay on - on blocked off road

Traffic lights in Wolverhampton city centre are continuing to force traffic to stop, despite the street they control being completely blocked.

No vehicles are allowed in or out of Darlington Street until the end of August while work goes on to move sewer pipes.

But the lights on the Chapel Ash island are still turning red, forcing cars to grind to a halt while the ones on Darlington Street turn green for cars that are not even there.

The lights stay changed for around 15 seconds a time.

Traffic waiting to get on to the island has to grind to a halt.

Wolverhampton City Council today blamed safety concerns for the decision and said drivers would end up approaching a pedestrian crossing on Ring Road St Marks too quickly if they weren't first forced to stop.

Council spokeswoman Julia Corrigan said: "We have considered switching off the traffic signals at the Darlington Street junction with the Chapel Ash Island during the current sewer works.

"However, if we did that it would potentially become more dangerous for pedestrians using the crossing further along the ring road.

"This pedestrian crossing is set to operate in conjunction with the traffic signals exiting Darlington Street."

The closure of Darlington Street, between Chapel Ash Island and Waterloo Road, is to allow sewage pipes to be moved by Severn Trent Water in preparation for a new courthouse in Fold Street. But the £36 million court may never even be built because of a lack of funding.

Severn Trent said it has to do the work because of the planning process.

But Paramjit Aulakh, who runs Darlington Street Post Office, said his trade had halved.

He said: "There's no point leaving these traffic lights on when no-one can come up or down here. I have really suffered with passing trade because the buses don't stop outside. I have a fridge full of sandwiches at the end of the day."

Gail Edwards, manager of suit hire shop Formal Affair, said: "It is quiet but we are coping."