Tesco are not planning a food store it is to be a Super Store. This will destroy not only jobs but many businesses. Check out (no pun intended) www.corporatewatch.org.uk issue 10 26/9/01 "How Supermarkets destroy jobs"
David Cox (Received 28 Sept 01)

In a nutshell, there are really two issues to consider here. 1 What impact will Tescos have on the town 2 Will a bigger ring road make the traffic flow any better. I have looked at the pros and cons to the Tesco arguements and I feel we are in a Catch 22 situation. If Tescos comes, it is inevitable that there will be a significant change to the face of Stourbridge. Why do folk go to Merry Hill to shop. Quite simply its bigger, better, more convenient and of course free parking - to name a few. In other words it provides the modern needs for today's shoppers. So it makes sense that the introduction of a large store with some of those facilities that can be found at Merry Hill does have positive points worth considering and cater for local needs. And of course in addition, this will create more jobs. On the other hand, existing traders who have kept Stourbridge going are keen not to lose any more business or even close down. It is fair to say that stores like Wilkinsons gave a boost to Stourbridge when it came to the High Street. Other smaller business have come and gone. The very nature of Stourbridge's High Street with listed building means that it can only be developed within very strict limitations. Look at the Lower High Street where very expensive town houses are being built. This tells me that if Stourbridge is to survive a change to residential is possibly one way for it to prosper again. No doubt there could be many other ideas to help the town. I personally feel that there has to be a compromise. Would Tescos be prepared to help the existing traders. For example - provide (pay for) free parking at the remaining Ryemarket and Bell Street council run car parks, after all the new proposals will decimate the Birmingham Street council run car park and provide free parking for Tesco shpppers. This may help people who do not want to shop at or use the Tescos car park, thereby still encouraging people to use other shops and amenities in the town. My second point is will building a bigger ring road provide a better flow of traffic through Stourbridge.? Quite simply I don't thinks so. The very fact that traffic will have to stop whilst people enter and exit Tescos either on foot or by car, will at peak times create a backlog. It must also not be forgotten that buses and delivery lorries will also be using these points. It also makes absolute nonsense that the train and bus stations are split by the ring road particularly if the METRO comes to town. Will a bridge or underpass eventually have to be built, and if so who will pay for it? Yes there must be a solution and it must be benefitial in the long term for everyone who trades, works and shops in Stourbridge.
Dave Bruton (Received 20 Sept 01)

I can't wait for Tesco to be built in Stourbridge. in less than 4 years time i and a lot of my friends will lose our jobs at Corbett Hospital. we need jobs. the glass works have closed, the rolling mills have closed, the hospitals are closing. we need jobs. Stourbridge store owners are only frightened of competition - they might have to lower their profits. If Tesco is not built we might as well close Stourbridge down altogether, sign on the dole and give up. What future? mugging old ladies in ballarat walk? Its a pity the people who have spent so much time and effort trying to stop the progression of stourbridge did not do the same when the ancillary staff were on strike at their local hospital.
Wendy Cowley - lives in Stourbridge, works in Stourbridge, shops in Stourbridge,can't wait for Tesco!!!!!!! (Received 19 Sept 01)

As the Chief Executive of Dudley Council, I care passionately about the town where I and my family live. Has nobody noticed that the town is in decline? In the last 2-3 years a number of shops have gone out of business and either remain vacant or are given over to charity use. The adverse effect of large foodstores has already happened. Ask yourself why so many Stourbridge residents do their grocery shopping at Merry Hill or elsewhere. What the Tescos proposal does is bring back to Stourbridge grocery shopping presently lost to the town. Some of that is bound to bring additional revitalising trade to the town. Of course there are difficult issues to be resolved but protectionist fear of competion by some local traders shouldn't carry the day if that just means continuing decline for Stourbridge.
Andrew Sparke Chief Executive, Dudley Council (Received 19 Sept 01)

Stourbridge is dying on it's feet as anyone can see from the empty shopping units in the Ryemarket, High Street, and the Crown Centre. It can't attract shoppers with an ever increasing number of charity and 'pound' shops. And who wants to walk along the High Street negotiating the narrow pavements and parked cars? Tesco's proposal may not be to everyone's liking but it provides the best opportunity at present to bring the town into the 21st century. Paul Yeo (Received 19 Sept 01)

Stourbridge already has three existing supermarkets (Safeway,Waitrose & Kwik Save), and easy access via car or public transport to the larger stores at Withymoor and Merry Hill. Surely we don't need another one? The DETR report suggests that the town's existing traders will lose between 21%-75% of their business to the new development, and that these negative effects will not be confined to the existing supermarkets. How can that be good for the town? Any jobs that are created by the development will for the most part be 'McJobs' - that is, part-time, low pay, menial,no future jobs. Aren't there enough of them about already? The demolition and reconstruction work will cause havoc. Why bother? Who benefits from it, apart from the developers and Tesco shareholders?
Chris Brown (Received 14 Sept 01)

"We have been to the meetings at the Town Hall and we have spoken our views, asked what was the point of trying to build Tesco in hope that it will bring more people to Stourbridge when you need to move Stourbridge's residents out to provide this. Surprisingly we got no comment. There are many homes that will be lost if this goes ahead many of which are recently brought properties (3 houses in our street have been purchased in the last 18 months - there are only 4 houses). Whoever came up with the idea that the people of Stourbridge will benefit from these plans can not live in Stourbridge otherwise they would have realised that the people of Stourbridge are being forced to move away from Stourbridge to make way for cars and pollution because that is all a bigger ring road will cause. has anyone considered the fact that somehow lorries still need to deliver to the shops, Will the new Ring Road allow this?? This is a lovely town, with a lot of people who have been here all their lives, some who were born here. I am only 19 but I want in the future to be able to say to my grandchildren, I grew up in Stourbridge, not I was moved out of Stourbridge to make room for a Road. Pedestrianisation of the High Street is a fantastic idea, but at the cost of people losing their homes. Is it really worth it? The High Street was pedestrianised on a Saturday only when I was younger and it was the greatest thing ever to be able to walk next to my family instead of in single file but elderly people need the bus that goes down the High Street. Would pedestrianisation prevent this service??"
Regards, Miss R Blundell (Received 7 Sept 01)
(Lives in Stourbridge, works in Stourbridge and goes to college in Stourbridge.)

"NO to Tesco in Stourbridge, no need. That simple." Mick Wood (Received 9 July 01)

"There is no doubt that Tesco's would be helping Dudley MBC finance the proposed changing to the ring road. Indeed one has to ask if the council had to pay solely for all of the costs to ANY plan regarding the Stourbridge Ring Road, how many projects in the borough would have to be put on hold or suspended indefinitely. There are two things that are bugging me with the present proposals that do not appear to have been addressed (1) Would not traffic entering and leaving the proposed supermarket car park create hold ups on the ring road near to the entrance causing a backlog along the ring road. To alleviate this, priority would have to be given to supermarket traffic similar to the Safeway operations at Rubery on the A38 trunk road. How frustrating that can be at peak times!!! (2) Presently, Stourbridge is unique in having both the bus and rail stations adjacent. The new poposals are splitting this, with the railway station being outside the realligned ring road. Was it also not suggested that once the Metro got to Merry Hill it would (or could) be extended down to Stourbridge. That being the case again why have the rail/tram link outside the ring road. Ah silly me I should have realised that surely won't this actually take people away from Stourbridge (and Tesco's) going to Merry Hill leaving Stourbridge even less supported? Certainly food for thought!"
Dave Bruton (Received 4 April 01)

"I have lived in Stourbrige my whole life, 17 years!!! and I can see the problems which the council are faced with but I think that the realignment of the ring road with so many adaptations will cause too much disruption while its being undertaken and the benefits seem to be limited compared to this. I agree totally with the pedestrianisation of the high street, the pavements are definitely to small at the moment and as a pupil of King Edward VI college for a year have suffered the effects of this many times while trying to get to McDonalds! I think the demolition of such buildings as the Rock Station pub are terrible, they are a part of the areas history! Stourbridge doesn't even need a Tescos we already have Safeway and Waitrose! I understand that Stourbridge has seen a decline in retail service's and demand from the public for these, especially since the development of the Merry hill shopping centre but I think that this is really taking it too far, it doesn't hurt that much to walk through the subway to the bus station and it keeps the noisy smelly buses out of the town center! I feel saddened that a company such as Tesco can have so much influence on my town."
Regards Fiona Barclay (Received 30 March 01)

"This planned change is a disgrace. The town was ruined by an ill conceived idea many years ago ie the original ring road. This is simply bowing to commercilism in its worst form. Tesco should not be allowed to place commercial interests before all else and Dudley MBC should not even be considering such a notion. Who is in who,s pocket? Maybe a few "Back handers? You might as well drop the name and call it " TESCOVILLE"
Bill Parker (Received 25 Feb 01)

The current version of the ring road is efficient at moving through traffic with no major problems. The introduction of a dedicated bus route needs careful consideration as the normal traffic flow may be disrupted. Parking close to the Town Centre is a major problem and may be solved if free parking is allowed on the Tesco car park and if easy access to the shopping centre is available. People do not like walking far with shopping and Multi Story car parks are unpopular. The classic example is Merry Hill which has many flat car parks. Also my observation is that the Birmingham Street car parks are not in a very good position to provide access to the Town Centre. Another use could be considered. The Leisure Centre would have been better placed there. Perhaps this should be considered in the future. Finally, the plans propose to separate the bus and train stations. To promote integrated travel, the access between the two should be made as easy as possible and should be engineered so people do not have to cross the Ring Road. I like Stourbridge and hope that all constructive ideas are considered. We, Britain, have hopefully come a long way from the disasters of the 60s & 70s but any major development needs to be an improvement. Please be careful.Regards, John Carter (Received 12 Feb 01)

"I was very interested in your web site and the proposals for the town centre. I live in Wollaston and work in Redditch and nothing in Stourbridge entices me to go shopping there. I think anything would be an improvement to the town centre but the plans I have seen so far appear to exceed this. They seem very well thought out with considerations for all concerned, shopkeepers, car drivers, pedestrians, public transport. I welcome the proposed changes and am sure they will bring the 'soul' back into Stourbridge town centre and bring it into the 21st Century amd all that it demands. I certainly look forward to seeing the 'new' Stourbridge." Regards, Alicia Pawlowski (Received 15 Nov 00)

"Having visited Stourbridge using public transport, I feel that i am qualified to comment upon the issue of the proposed ring road changes. I must say that something needs to be done, as when I arrived on the 248 bus from Dudley I found myself in the bus station with the town centre the other side of the ring road. As it is, the town centrte is difficult to access either by car or by public transport, with the main link between the town and the station being the subway which is hardly ideal, and is offputting. Having visited other Midlands towns, I think that pedestrianisation of the town centre has worked in Wolverhampton and Walsall, but needs to be complemented with adequate public transport and parking facilities nearby, so that such central facilities are not cut off. In the current climate, I cannot see such a scheme working for Stourbridge without adverse effect, maybe a park and ride scheme could be considered if deemed practical. For the untrained visitor it is very easy to miss Stourbridge town centre entirely when travelling by car. Access is very restricted via one way streets, and perhaps a lack of clear signing for its location and parking facilities. The ring road itself is a bit of an eyesore and encloses and restricts town centre development, as all traffic appears to be funnelled around it - is it that safe? The town centre does seem trapped inside a bit, there is little room for expansion and I imagine that improvements in the town would be awkward to manage. Thus, my conclusions are that the ring road as it is is restrictive and diverts visitors away from the town rather than intoit, but it is useful in channelling the through traffic. I think that access would be improved by the scheme to relocate the ringroad with the bus and rail inside it, but the idea of bus lanes is surely going to increase congestion further. A bus lane to the bus station would be a good idea, but not wholly around the town. There may still be an issue with getting from the bus station to the shops, will we still have to go on the subway beneath St John's road. Personally, I think the logic and reasoning for the scheme is well placed but the plans proposed are rather inadequate, and further thinking and problem solving will be needed before this debate can rest one way or the other, but i hope at least that something can be done as the current situation has its own problems. Thanks."
P. Walker

"I think it is about time the High St was pedestrianised. The pavement is far too narrow to negotiate with cars parked and the constant traffic flow. I would certainly shop more in the town if my 'Pet Hate' (The pavements) were eliminated. Why not pedestrianise the High St now and not wait till the development stage. The only other idiotic feature in the plans is to Signal Control all the junctions, why not site overhead pedestrian foot bridges and keep the traffic flowing. Or is it the aim to build up more traffic jams and frustrate the motorist even more. Apart from these comments the proposals will be a big improvement."
Tony Preston

"I have lived in Stourbridge for 2 years now. The first time I encountered problems with the ring road was after shopping in the town centre. Trying to get on to the ring road is an absolute nightmare. A possible solution to this problem seems so obvious that to ask why it has not been done risks ridicule, methinks(!), but anyway here goes. Why haven't traffic lights been installed at all the main acces points to the road? Surely this would alleviate the problems outlined above as well as reducing the speed of traffic on the ring road?
Yours puzzled"
Lance Hanson.

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