Politicians and people have their say over Halesowen traffic island problems

Irate motorists believe the Grange Island scheme, which cost £1.2m, is ‘a pig’s ear’ and there is dismay about more delays during the £400,000 revamp of Earls Island.

Halesowen councillors, Dudley Council cabinet members and Sylvia Heal MP have also weighed in to the argument.

Halesowen MP Sylvia Heal said: “I think there has been a real lack of planning from Dudley Council. “After months of disruption, they now decide they want to have a visual landmark on Grange Island, they should have had a bit more foresight.

“And I can not see a noticeable improvement to the traffic flow of the island but I suppose time will tell about whether the island is safer.”

Every Halesowen councillor the News contacted about Grange Island refused to say the changes had been an unqualified success and several admitted they had received complaints from residents.

Halesowen North Councillor Jeff Hill said: “I am disappointed that there has not been greater improvements to the traffic flow, however, a few tweaks to the lane markings is being looked at.“ Belbroughton Road resident Mandy Buffery called for an inquiry.

She said: “Hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money has been blown on a project which has had absolutely no benefit after suffering six months of farcical traffic control.

She added: “It has made the island more dangerous than it was before and diabolically unattractive.

“There has to be an inquiry as to how this was allowed to happen in the first place and then, how can a pigs ear be made into a silk purse?”

Construction work has already begun on pedestrian crossings at Earls Island.

Deputy Leader of Dudley Council Les Jones said: “I have misgivings concerning pedestrian crossings at the Earls Island because traffic will back up because of them.”

However, chairman of Halesowen Area Committee Belle Vale Cllr Bob James said: “I want the subways filled in at Earls Island, we have got a grant to do it and I’m sure pedestrian crossings will be safer.”

A spokesman for Dudley Council defended the Grange Island scheme and said it had inherited it from the Highways Agency when the A456 was detrunked in 2008.

He said: “As with all schemes of this nature, minor changes are often required following initial completion and having had the opportunity to monitor and review the operation of the new layout we do intend to simplify the road markings, both on the approach lanes and on the roundabout itself.

“As we are now satisfied that this can be done without adversely affecting capacity, these changes are planned to be carried out later this month, weather permitting, and should improve lane usage and discipline and further improve the roundabout for motorists. “ To read the motorists, politicians and Dudley Council’s comments in full visit www.halesowennews.co.uk.

Halesowen Councillors responses about Grange Island: Halesowen South Cllr David Vickers said: “People have contacted me complaining about Grange Island. But I have been using it for 30 years and I’ve not got a problem with the changes made.”

“I’ve been using the island for years and it has changed its format so many times.”

Halesowen North Cllr Jeff Hill said: “I am disappointed that there has not been greater improvements to the traffic flow, however, it is being looked into to make a few tweaks to the lane markings, at the moment a lot of drivers are not indicating and you have to wait to see where they are going.“ Deputy leader of Dudley Council Councillor Les Jones said: “I know there is a lot of people that are very annoyed with whats happened at Grange Island. But a lot of people just do not like change but it seems the work was awfully expensive and not much has been changed.

“Concerning Earls Island I do have misgivings concerning pedestrian crossings because the traffic will back up because of them.”

Chairman of Halesowen Area Committee Belle Vale Councillor Bob James said: “I take the point that people say that the carraigeways are tight but we have not really had chance to see how the traffic flow works at the island, these things take time.”

“However, the public have been very positive about finishing the island off and I think in the long run people do want a sculpture there.”

He added: “As for Earls Island I am for the subways to be filled in they would have cost a tremendous amount of money to clean, we have got a grant to do it and are going to spend the money on filling them in, pedestrian crossings will be safer.”

Halesowen South Councillor John Woodall said: “The trouble dates back to the 1970s when plans to build a Halesowen Relief Road were shelved.

He said: “The chances of it ever being built are very remote now because of how much it would have cost, the local Government changes in 1974 meant the relief road never happened.”

He said: “I can’t see any big improvement at Grange Island but the traffic does seem to be moving a bit more freely.”

Halesowen South Cllr Alan Taylor said: Its a bit early to tell because its early days, we haven’t gone through the proper traffic conditions, reserving judgement, lines could be redrawn and be better, but these things take a bit of time.

Halesowen MP Sylvia Heal said: “I think there has been a real lack of planning concerning Grange Island, after months of disruption, they now decide they want to make it a gateway island and have a visual landmark, they should have had a bit more foresight.

“And I can not see a noticeable improvement to the traffic flow of the island but I suppose time will tell about whether the island is safer, which was the main consideration.”

Richard Jacobs, vice principal of Earls High School said: “We are aware of the problems concerning Earls Way Island including the graffiti which is problem in the subways and is an eyesore.

“What we are most interested in is the safe crossing for our pupils and I know that several of them do not like using the subways in the evening if they are doing after school activities.

“We think the plans for the new Earls Island are well thought out and are confident that the crossings will give safe passage to our pupils.”

Cllr Angus Adams, Dudley Council cabinet member for transportation, said about Earls Island: “These are exciting proposals to make an outdated traffic island much safer for everyone.

“I am delighted the project has the backing of the public and I am sure pedestrians and motorists will see the benefits when it is completed.”

Dudley Council statement about Grange Island in full “The key principle behind the £1.2m scheme and the associated speed limit reductions on the A456 is to reduce the speed of vehicles approaching and negotiating the roundabout in order to improve safety and reduce the number of personal injury accidents, whilst at the same time maintaining the same level of traffic flow.

“The scheme also involved improvement of pedestrian crossing points, street lighting and signs, together with the introduction of a revised 40mph speed limit on the A456 Manor Way.

“As with all schemes of this nature, minor changes are often required following initial completion and having had the opportunity to monitor and review the operation of the new layout we do intend to simplify the road markings, both on the approach lanes and on the roundabout itself.

“As we are now satisfied that this can be done without adversely affecting capacity, these changes are planned to be carried out later this month, weather permitting, and should improve lane usage and discipline and further improve the roundabout for motorists.

“The safety scheme which has been implemented was inherited by the council from the Highways Agency when the A456 was de-trunked in 2008.”

Halesowen News Readers comments and contributions: Jim Gull said: “Like many other people, I am appalled that a considerable amount of money has been spent on the Grange Road Traffic Island, and also after several months of total chaos while the work was carried out, yet there clearly isn’t the slightest sign of improvement in the flow of traffic at that island, the question has to be asked what happened? How can anyone justify spending that amount of money and all for nothing??

We live in the age of the computer, traffic problems can be replicated and tweaked on a computer screen, Road Traffic Accident Investigators do it everyday they don’t have to smash up cars or lorries on a real main road in order to diagnose the cause of an accident, its all done with a computer program, it doesn’t need millions of pounds spending on ripping up a road and causing complete and utter chaos.

The problem is that people are looking at the Grange Road traffic island problem the same as they look at all the problems like this, that it’s a number of roads converging onto a roundabout and everyone is fighting to get on the island all at once, no one wants to give way.

In a situation like that you have to take control!!!

You have to think of the traffic problem the same way you would a production line, you can’t get products off a production line if the end of the line is jammed and that’s the problem with the Grange Road Island.

Get rid of the island, flatten the road and install traffic lights that can be controlled by someone who can see where the longest lines of traffic are.

Manor Way is fed with traffic from the Quinton Express Way / the two slip roads leading from the M5, and Manor Lane, that volume of traffic has got to be moved in a controlled way and that means Traffic lights.

The Halesowen Bypass can easily accommodate all the traffic off Manor Way, set the traffic lights to empty Manor Way, then give priority to the other minor roads when the bulk of the problem has been eased, at the moment everyone hits Manor Way and sits there doing nothing except burns fuel at £1- 10 a litre.”

Tim Welling said: “We should make both islands a blaze of natural colour from maple trees, shrubs and flowers that is consistent with maintaining visibility, of course.

They absorb carbon dioxide that our vehicles spew out to change the planet's climates for the worse. For the worse, because scientific evidence shows that our fossil fuel burning is changing things much faster than Nature can adapt to.

That is the terrible trouble that we are in to endanger all life on earth. Planting carbon absorbing plants is urgent!

Yet more sculptures means quarrying and finite resources used that we need to conserve not consume.

Consuming without a thought for the needs of tomorrow's peoples is pretty dumb, I think!

When there is no snow or ice, I'm a cycle commuter every day (I'm using the bus in this cold spell). The new crossing in Grange Road is a great help to me. However, the council refuses to put up two signs warning motorists of walkers and cyclists crossing.”

Sam Vimes said: “In fact all those letters were actually bemoaning the endless delays and congestion caused by the weeks of closures, deserted works, and questioned the planning of the works in general. Some also suggested that it will make precious little difference to the problems.

When I went to drop my car off for a service on Manor Way this morning I had to queue from McDonalds up to the island - just as you always did. Then operate the ‘every man for himself’ approach to pulling out onto the bypass - just as you always did. While I sat there waiting for a gap I did at least have the time to note that all three of the other exits/entrances to the island were queued for yards - just like they always were. When returning in my courtesy lift I noted that turning right to head back towards Halesowen meant negotiating other vehicles employing the ‘every man for himself’ gambit to get across the island - just like it always did.

“So what a surprise, after thousands of pounds and months of delays the changes have made no real difference.”

Michael Lay said: “The only difference between the old Grange island and the new one is that there is now a left turn filter lane for traffic coming down Grange Hill to turn onto the by-pass. Nothing whatsoever has been done to slow down traffic entering the island from the Birmingham direction meaning that access to Grange Hill from Halesowen or the by-pass is just as dangerous as it was before. Even the road markings are the same, they have just been moved a metre or two. So, no disaster, but what on earth were the months of disruption and tens of thousands of pounds spent for?”

Mandy Buffery said: “Somebody has blown hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money on a project which has had absolutely no benefit to the commuters using the area (after suffering 6 months of farcical traffic control). Has made the Island more dangerous than it was before, and diabolically unattractive.

“There has to be an enquiry as to how this was allowed to happen in the first place and then,how can a pigs ear be made into a silk purse?”