Moors not the merrier for blighted residents’

TRAFFIC around Solihull’s biggest football club is causing “horrendous” problems for those residents living nearby, a ward councillor has warned.

Cllr Glenis Slater (Lib Dem, Elmdon) said she was regularly inundated with complaints from those living in the shadow of the Solihull Moors ground, in Damson Parkway.

Now she has called for a

“decent traffic management plan” to help streets cope with the flood of supporters who arrive on match days.

The issues came to light at the council’s planning committee, where an application for four new stadium stands was considered.

Cllr Slater had said: “It really, really is horrendous and it is not fair to the people that live in the area. Every time there’s a big match on, on a Saturday afternoon, my phone never stops ringing because people are complaining about parking.”

She confirmed that issues were reported with vehicles blocking driveways and parking on verges.

The situation had become more difficult as Moors has “got bigger and more successful”.

“They have got to do something about their parking,” she added. “Only the home fans are the same every week – other fans can come from all over the country and they don’t know our roads.”

Cllr Jim Ryan (Con, Bickenhill) has backed calls for the club to work closely with highways officers to manage the problems better – although he suggested snarl-ups were common near major sports grounds.

“I’ve got some business premises down in Digbeth and when there’s a Blues game on I am penned in.

“And when I speak to people around Aston Villa, it’s the same problem they have to endure.

“We in Solihull require people to be good neighbours and work with us and with the community, so I’m supporting Cllr Slater. I also want to support Solihull Moors and give them all the support and push they deserve.”

Cllr Slater suggested the situation in Solihull was slightly different because the club had moved to Damson Park relatively recently, whereas stadiums like Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s had been around far longer.

Retrospective permission for four covered stands, three temporary toilet blocks and a new compound enclosure was granted.

Moors narrowly missed out on promotion to the Football League last season. Council officers noted that the new stands did not increase the overall capacity.

Solihull Moors FC has been contacted for comment about the parking concerns.