Traffic trial to see Halesowen bus lanes axed

Motorists say roads are clogged around Halesowen but two bus lanes and have called for them to be axed to free up traffic jams.

Halesowen councillors have long campaigned for the lanes to be suspended after they were introduced around six years ago.

They say the lanes had compounded traffic jam hotspots on the A456 Manor Way at the Grange Road island.

Today Dudley Council's transport boss, Councillor Khurshid Ahmed agreed to remove the lanes for a trial period to assess their impact.

The inbound lane in Queensway, near Halesowen Leisure Centre, and the outbound lane, in Bromsgrove Street, will be closed for 18 months.

Council bosses had been locked in talks with passenger transport authority Centro over the proposals after claims the lanes helped maintain bus timetables.

Signs will go up informing motorists in the next few weeks ready for the trial to begin in March.

Councillor Ahmed today said: "In principle we have agreed to the removal of two of the bus lanes in Halesowen for an 18-month trial period. During this time we will be continually assessing the impact of this on traffic in the area, and public transport access to the nearby bus station and town centre.

"We will also continue to work with Centro throughout the process to ensure bus travel remains a top priority."

The former Halesowen Area Committee voted two years to propose the closure of the bus lanes before the protracted talks caused delays.

Halesowen Councillor David Vickers today applauded the decision to axe the lanes saying the lanes had brought disruption to the daily commute for motorists.

"I fully welcome this decision as this is something that we have been fighting for for at least five or six years since they were first put in," he said.

"The biggest problem is between 7.30am and 9.05am when people are queuing to come into the town.

"It is not good for people who are coming into Halesowen to be struck in these queues of traffic.

"People are just sitting there not moving while maybe three buses come past."

UKIP ward member for Hayley Green and Cradley South, Councillor Ken Turner, said the council should have gone further and removed the bus lanes permanently.

"The bus lanes need to go, they are unnecessary and are an absolute pain in the head for motorists," he said.

Centro spokesman Pete Cameron said: "Bus lanes at key locations can play a valuable role in providing residents with fast and reliable routes to important facilities.

"This can help to support the economy by ensuring people can travel quickly to places of work or shopping areas and contributes to reducing the congestion that costs the region more than £2 billion each year.

"We will work with the council to monitor the situation over the coming months to see what impact it has on journey times for passengers and motorists along these routes."