Proposed major changes to Stourbridge Ring Road - What do you think?

It's more than just changes to the ring road, it's actually rather grandly called the Stourbridge Integrated Regeneration Scheme, by Dudley MBC. The Birmingham Street side of town is the most affected, even the River Stour is planned to be re-routed! The scheme will include demolition of a number of properties. It is currently at the consultation stage and members of Dudley Council staff are aware of this website, your views will be seen by the planners, even if like me you missed the public meeting! Click here for views

In the interests of democracy I have put a link to Russel Eden's pro-ring road website, even though personally I disagree with him! On the other side, the Liberal Democrats support the changes.

Key issues are:

Actual changes to the Ring Road itself - do they go too far? Should they go further?

Retail development/ Birmingham Street area - This is where the most drastic changes are taking place, including demolition of business and residential properties. Tesco, the retail development, are ploughing huge amounts of money into this area and are ultimately redesigning a large part of the town to suit their commercial needs - is it right that a supermarket chain can alter the layout of Stourbridge? Whatever your views are we need to know them.

Pedestrianisation of the High Street and Market Street - this one has been debated for years! Please e-mail your views on any issues arising from this scheme.

STOURBRIDGE INTEGRATED REGENERATION SCHEME - by Dr Martin Courtis
Chief Environment Engineering & Transprtation Officer, Council House, Mary Stevens Park, Stourbridge DY8 2AA

The Problem
Stourbridge is situated at the junction of two primary routes the A458 and the A491. During the late nineteen fifties and early sixties the centre was regularly reduced to a standstill by traffic congestion, prompting construction of the ring road that opened in 1967. Although the ring road does the job it was designed for, it severely restricts access to the town centre and has been likened to a collar strangling life from the town centre.

Opportunities
The key to unlocking Stourbridge's potential is in reducing its domination by the car. With the publication of the Governments white paper on the future of transport, "A new deal for transport", the opportunity presented itself to develop proposals aimed at improvement of access to and by, public transport.

The Bus Station
The location of the bus station outside the ring road is less than desirable. It does not encourage use of public transport trips into the town centre and presents a safety hazard to the pedestrian. Pedestrian subways are not popular with the public. It is therefore proposed to realign the ring road and reconstruct the Bus Station within the town centre core.

Regeneration
The ring road alteration will also present an opportunity to regenerate the area of land between St Johns Road, Birmingham Street and Foster Street. There has been considerable interest from developers in this area for retail purposes and in order for the development to comply with current guidance issued by Central Government it would be desirable to include the site within the town centre.

Servicing
That length of road previously forming part of the ring road known as St Johns Road can then be downgraded to service the new development and some existing units off High Street.

Pedestrianisation
It will be possible to achieve partial pedestrianisation, removing the majority of traffic from the centre core. It is therefore proposed to close Upper High Street and part of Makret Street to its junction with Bell Street to traffic, except for service vehicles between 4pm and 10am.

Bus Priorities
Whilst the ring road operates well for general traffic movements in, through and round the town centre, bus entry, pick-up and drop-off points do not provide sufficient access for buses. It is therefore proposed to reallocate road space on the ring road for a bus priority lane. The bus lanes will also include for cycle usage, linking the Kingswinford and Merry Hill cycle routes to the centre core and bus station.

Through Routes
The important nature of the two primary routes dictate that additional enabling works will be necessary to safeguard the vitality of the area as a whole/ These include the signalisation of all major junctions on the ring road (including pedestrian crossing points thus avoiding unpopular underpasses) and the improvment and realignment of Enville Street.

The relaignment and reallocation of road space will reduce traffic speeds making it safer, but will marginally increase journey times for cars whilst speeding up bus movements.

Benefits
Integration and penetration of bus and rail facilities within the retail core will greatly improve access to public transport and safety for pedestrians. Reallocation of road space for bus lanes assists public transport. Replacing unpopular subways by pedestrian crossings will relieve severance caused by the ring road. Realignment of the ring road and Enville Street in conjunction with the pedestrianisation of High Street and part of Market Street will provide opportunities for environmental improvements and regeneration of the town centre.