Fury as noise barrier trees hacked
They have been driven crazy by thousands of noisy cars speeding down a motorway just yards from their homes every day for 40 years.
So residents of Murdock Crescent in Bloxwich were shocked when they opened their doors to see lumberjacks hacking down trees that formed their only line of defence against the constant racket.
And to add to their woes, workmen told them the felling will make way for works on the M6 hard shoulder between junctions 10 and 10a – making the noise problems even worse.
Highways Agency bosses today claimed the trees were dangerous and said residents would be informed about the work – but not until April.
Foster carer Kay Holland lives with her husband Mark and two children in Murdock Crescent.
"We couldn't believe it," she said.
"Everyone's really angry. It's loud enough here as it is, but this is just going to make it a nightmare.
"I can't believe we haven't had a letter or anything about this. I even called the Highways Agency a year ago to ask if there were any more plans to do anything with the motorway and they said there wasn't.
"My mother lived here when they first built in the 1960s and they lowered the rates here because of it, so they should really be doing the same now."
Highways Agency spokesman Richard McCrann said: "The trees are being taken down as part of advance works related to the introduction of active traffic management."
The work will see them preparing the hard shoulder for traffic use at peak times.
Mr MCrann added: "An environmental assessment was undertaken, and on initial inspection of the site we found that some trees were dead and needed to be taken down for safety reasons.
"Once works are completed we will fully replant the area. There will be a public exhibition in April to explain about Active Traffic Management – environmental experts will be on-hand to answer questions from the public."
He added that the Highways Agency consulted all the required statutory bodies about the works.
