Weekend traffic chaos at an end
WEEKEND closures of the Aston Expressway and Spaghetti Junction will finish ahead of schedule, putting an end to recent traffic misery.
Highways England said concrete on the elevated roadway was in better condition than thought and repairs were well ahead of schedule.
As a result there is no longer any need to close the road on Saturdays and Sundays.
However, night-time works will continue.
The announcement came after two weekends of traffic chaos in Birmingham as diverted traffic clogged up the A34 Walsall Road, junction 7 at Great Barr and Lichfield Road through Aston.
Highways England project manager Jess Kenny said: “Highways England has completed the weekend repair work ahead of schedule and, as a result, there will be no weekend closure required any longer.
“The majority of concrete was in a better condition than expected. However, it is likely that some further repair work will be needed in the near future.
“There are still the night-time closures out of the city in place on the Aston Expressway and we continue to liaise with the city council to keep disruption to a minimum.
“We would like to thank drivers for their patience as we complete this vital scheme.”
Motorists can get full details of the works, closures and traffic situation on the Highways England website.
Councillor Jon Hunt, who represents parts of Great Barr, had called for the daytime work to be suspended as he had been inundated with complaints from frustrated residents and motorists caught in lengthy tailbacks.
In a letter to Highways England, the Lib Dem councillor said: “Too much traffic is being routed on to the A34 and through the Scott Arms junction, which simply cannot cope.
“As result, north Birmingham is in lockdown and there are significant effects on traffic access to the city.”
He said that side roads off the A34 such as the Old Walsall Road and Dyas Avenue were also gridlocked on Saturday afternoon.
“As a matter of urgency, you need to reconsider the closures and find other ways of doing the work, such as more night working,” he added.