Council confirms flyover removal

THERE were jeers from protesters at a cabinet meeting as Birmingham City Council once again gave the go-ahead for the demolition of the Perry Barr flyover.

The item had been put back before the cabinet after being called in by councillors back in October, over fears that petitions against the plans by residents had not been debated by the council.

Several of those local residents attended Tuesday’s meeting to voice their concern over the £27 million scheme, part of a ‘regeneration’ of the area which would see the removal of the A34 flyover in favour of a dual carriageway at ground level.

However, their cries seemed to fall on deaf ears, as the council again voted to press ahead with the proposals. One protester shouted ‘shame on you’.

Perry Barr Councillor Jon Hunt, urged the council to consider the risk it was posing to the Commonwealth Games.

“The risk that you’re putting on the whole Commonwealth Games project by going ahead with this – because the public know this is unnecessary – is a risk both in terms of the delivery of the Games and the reputation of the Games.”

Leader of the opposition Cllr Robert Alden also spoke out against the proposals, citing fears over air pollution and the congestion the works will cause.

But council leader Ian Ward said he had heard ‘no new arguments’ against the proposals, and moved that they be passed once more by the cabinet. “We may not have ended up agreeing with everything we heard during the consultation, but we have listened,” he said.