City News

St. Chad’s Slip Road Closures 14 Jan 2007 to 17 June 2007

Road works commenced at St. Chad’s Circus in July 2006 as part of the preparations for the proposed development of Snow Hill – a scheme by Ballymore Properties Ltd offering high quality office space, 200 residential apartments, retail units and hotel and leisure accommodation. The next major traffic management phase of this 50 week road works contract is due to commence on Sunday 14th January 2007, for 22 weeks and requires the closure of the St. Chad’s Circus slip roads outside the Cathedral and the Thistle Hotel.

Essential structural improvements and maintenance works to the A38 St. Chad’s tunnel are to be carried out as part of the work, which will not require the closure of the A38 tunnel itself, but, as the St. Chad’s Queensway slip roads pass over the top of the tunnel, road closures will be required for 22 weeks to allow safe working conditions.

Councillor Len Gregory, Cabinet Member for Transportation & Street Services, said:

“We hope that people will bear with us as they get used to the revised routes, and we appreciate that there will be some inconvenience whilst they get used to these changes.  This work heralds a £400 million landmark project that when completed, will help provide new landscaped areas and attractive public space in the city centre.  We will do our best to keep the public informed of the changes via our dedicated website www.birmingham.gov.uk/roadworks.”

Council officers and Birse Civil Engineering Ltd,  (who worked in partnership to deliver the Masshouse infrastructure changes with minimum impacts on city centre businesses, residents and visitors), are building on previous working relationships to professionally manage the traffic demands presented by the slip road closures. Liaison has been carried out with the Emergency Services, Bus Operators, Centro and Frontages to allow traffic management proposals for normal operating demands as well as for emergency tunnel closure conditions.

From week commencing 11th December 2006, warning signs will be placed at key junctions across the City to alert drivers of the forthcoming major works at St. Chad’s. Also at this time, advance warning signs will be placed on the slip roads due to be closed.

Information handouts will be distributed across St. Chad’s Circus and the adjacent areas to show the road closures and advise of diversion routes.