Drivers use store car park as rat run

Drivers negotiating Walsall’s multi-million pound new ring-road system are using an unusual rat run in a bid to beat the traffic chaos – a supermarket car park.

Hundreds of motorists cut through Morrisons, which has entrances on both Lichfield Street and Lower Rushall Street.

The new road system has already come in for criticism from drivers unhappy about the new Arboretum junction, which does not allow drivers on Lichfield Street to turn right into the Broadway or go straight on into Lichfield Road.

Cliff Kirby-Tibbits, a director at Jabez Cliff leather works, in Lower Forster Street, said the new rat run highlighted the flaws of the new junction layout.

“It’s a classic,” he said. “Because people have to turn left out of Lichfield Street, loads of them are just driving through the supermarket car park and coming out on Lower Rushall Street, where they can go right or straight on into Lichfield Road.

“The thing is, the junction only opened again last week and there are so many people doing it already. The new system is permanent though, so this is just going to get worse.

“It’s like something out of a comedy show, but it’s not funny because we have actually paid for this bonkers new road system.”

Over a half-hour period during rush hour this morning, an almost constant stream of vehicles could be seen using the car park as a short cut.

Morrisons store manager, Santokh Singh, said he had not yet been made aware of a particular problem, but said that staff would monitor the situation.

“We thought it was getting better after the work was done,” he said.

Councillor Anthony Harris, Walsall Council cabinet member for highways, has previously said the real benefits won’t be felt until the whole of the ring road is open. “It’s wrong to suggest that motorists can’t leave the town centre for Broadway and to travel along Lichfield Street past the Arboretum towards Rushall. They can do this by travelling along Lower Rushall Street,” he said.