Tunnels

[John]

I've heard a few people either at work, or friends on facebook saying that certain roads into the city were an absolute nightmare this morning.

I'm glad I'm on the 28 today! Really quiet on there

[Tony]

After last year's relatively successful diversions due to the tunnel closures, and fairly minor delays on journeys into the city, I was hoping for more of the same these school summer holidays. Unfortunately, today at least was an absolute nightmare - massive queues from Harborne Road up to Five Ways, then gridlock down Broad Street and very slow traffic all through the diversions. Not sure what's different to last year, but it didn't work today - loads of people late for work at my place.

Harborne and Hagley Road sevices at least must have been quite heavily delayed.

It is the same as last year. Broad Street was chaos on the Monday due to people ignoring all the signs to divert, then having to turn right into Bridge Street, which soon got blocked. Last year, by Wednesday people had realised Broad Street was a bad idea and it ran OK.

Broad Street services were the only ones suffering badly this morning, and that was only from about 8:20 until 9:00, Aston Expressway also suffered some delays, but not as bad as Broad Street

[Mike K]

After last year's relatively successful diversions due to the tunnel closures, and fairly minor delays on journeys into the city, I was hoping for more of the same these school summer holidays. Unfortunately, today at least was an absolute nightmare - massive queues from Harborne Road up to Five Ways, then gridlock down Broad Street and very slow traffic all through the diversions. Not sure what's different to last year, but it didn't work today - loads of people late for work at my place.

Harborne and Hagley Road sevices at least must have been quite heavily delayed.

It is the same as last year. Broad Street was chaos on the Monday due to people ignoring all the signs to divert, then having to turn right into Bridge Street, which soon got blocked. Last year, by Wednesday people had realised Broad Street was a bad idea and it ran OK.

Broad Street services were the only ones suffering badly this morning, and that was only from about 8:20 until 9:00, Aston Expressway also suffered some delays, but not as bad as Broad Street

Ok thanks - hopefully things will have settled down by the middle of the week. Took me well over an hour to go 4 miles this morning.

[karl724223]

Runs ok when police at broad st and snow hill

[trident4370]

I did notice some of the right turning buses backing up outside the coach station earlier back onto Bradford St, can only assume the lights haven't been changed to allow for the extra traffic.

[Tony]

Runs ok when police at broad st and snow hill

The police on Broad Street aren't helping the queue there at all, and may be making it slightly worse as several people stop to argue with him. It does help keep Paradise Circus moving though and hopefully those who argue won't be there after a couple of days which is what happened last year.
Overall the police at both spots are a massive help, but on the first couple of days the do cause so delays to be a little longer

[Tony]

Seems everyone soon learnt, no bad delays on any route anywhere in Birmingham this morning peak

[Liverpool Street]

Was the traffic lights on Five Ways anything to do with this?

[Tony]

Was the traffic lights on Five Ways anything to do with this?

Those are really helping Hagley Road, but not helping Harborne Road. They are being looked at to what can be done to help

[Mike K]

Yes journey was fine this morning. LS, traffic lights at Five Ways caused massive delays down Harborne Road yesterday. I had to drive so approached Five Ways from Hagley Road today.

[D10]

The Digbeth Gyratory system was at a standstill at 4.30 pm today and yesterday, I remember it being bad here last year too.

[notepanel]

The Digbeth Gyratory system was at a standstill at 4.30 pm today and yesterday, I remember it being bad here last year too.

They have attempted to improve this this year with the closure of Bradford Street between Mill Lane & Moat Lane towards City, however it's still bad! And as Tony said, the amount of people who ignore the closure warnings - so many u-turns at the closure point (although for most vehicles I really can't understand why they don't just use Mill Lane!)

On a side note, I didn't notice on any of the publicity that Bradford Street would be shut this year.