Hi Everybody
Here’s the latest on our problems. Below is the latest Email from Tim, read through it and see what you think .
I know its been quiet lately except for a few rogue ones. But got to say that that wont last, there will be things in the future and its pointless dealing with them then when we have come so far now. So what I am asking is some feedback from all of you for an indication. Should the need arise where I arrange another meeting like the one before(to include all officials as well) can I count on your support to come again ?. For the people who have retired or don’t have to work anymore, the daytime situation in my opinion is just as bad, Too much Traffic !!. For the people who work they obviously wont be aware of it but it is bad. You may have seen the problems that Fire Station roadwork’s caused for 3 weeks.
So I hope to hear from you all shortly ,we need to stay together we have come a long way so lets see it through .
If you have any comments on the email feel free to say.
Part of the email is about Liberty park which I feel could impact on us.!
Again sorry for duplicates!
Here’s the Email :
Hi Roy,
I’m well thanks. The Liberty Park planning application link can be found here:
Reference – 14/00799/REMM
It doesn’t seem to give many details but there is a contact for the case officer who should be able to provide more detail.
HCVs accessing Liberty Park have easy access to the A38 via Cappers Lane and the A51 via Eastern Avenue. Travelling towards Tamworth on the A51 might encourage them down the A5127, but if you were heading Tamworth direction it would be easier to go Cappers Lane, A38, A5 and cut out the A51 altogether.
I met with colleagues the other day to discuss a potential weight restriction TTRO on the A5127 for planned works on the A38. There was a general consensus that in principle a TTRO could be implemented. However, there was the caveat that the police would have to be on board with a resourced and funded plan to enforce the measures. There is a reluctance to implement further restrictions that won’t be enforced and for which the County Council will take the backlash from the general public when restrictions are flouted. There was still discussion over who funded the TTRO (the legal order and the traffic management/enforcement required) and it was felt that the HE might be amenable to do this. The legal order is relatively inexpensive (approx. £1,000 each time) but the traffic management / enforcement is more much expensive. However, as the HE would have a traffic management sub-contractor out on site anyway this wouldn’t be insurmountable. Regarding the enforcement, the HE have to pay for the police to help put on some TM arrangements now; the paid for police could then potentially enforce the TTRO once they had assisted in stopping traffic on the motorway. This is still ‘if’s, but’s and maybe’s’ at the moment.
It’s still early in this process and there are a number of obstacles to overcome, but there are some possibilities to explore for planned closures. I must stress, that a lot of this is based on larger schemes that would go on for a while; I think we will still struggle on smaller schemes that last for short periods.
As with a permanent TRO, there is the issue of HCVs of a certain height travelling along the A51 into Lichfield, along Cherry Orchard, down Rotten Row and onto the A5127. Any potentially TTRO would have to cover the A5127 between the Rotten Row and Cappers Lane junctions. As previously discussed, once the southern bypass is complete in future there would be a viable alternative that didn’t have low height bridges and this could possibly be extended.
Another issue raised was the A51 Hedgehog / Eastern Avenue junction. This junction has been redesigned a number of times over the years but street furniture keeps getting hit – there are still concerns over the road space for HCVs to turn in and out of the junction comfortably in its current format.
Advisory ‘Unsuitable for HGV’ signs were considered but there is still the issue of none compliance, no power to back it up and it doesn’t make much sense in this scenario. Installing permanent VMS (Vehicle Messaging Signs) on the A5127 Burton Road approaching the Eastern Avenue and somewhere the other side of town (A51 Upper St. John’s St? Not sure yet) were also discussed. The idea being that when road works were on the A38 the sign could be used to direction traffic along Eastern Avenue / Western Bypass and vice versa. Again the HE could potentially fund these signs and I am looking into this.
One other thing came out of the meeting, the HE are trying to become more customer focussed. They have a Transport Focus group:
This could be an avenue to raise A5127 resident’s concerns to the HE and possibly raise the profile of this part of the road network.
As usual give me a shout if you wish to discuss the above further.
Regards
Tim Heminsley
Community Infrastructure Liaison Manager – Lichfield and Tamworth
Tel. (01543) 510166
Highways Hotline – 0300 111 8000
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