'A nightmare at peak times' - Dudley residents vent frustration as councillor issues traffic warning for Wordsley area due to 'planned and emergency works'

Councillor Adam Davies, for Brierley Hill & Wordsley South, says he and other council members are looking into what can be done to resolve traffic issues around the Brettell Lane, Amblecote, Audnam and Wordsley.

Recent reports warn of very slow traffic on A491 Audnam both ways at A461 Brettell Lane due to roadworks area and temporary lights are in operation. 

Dudley Council are currently implementing long-awaited traffic-light upgrades at Brettell Lane and High Street in Amblecote — part of wider improvements along the corridor — aim to improve road safety and ease peak-time congestion for drivers travelling between Stourbridge, Amblecote, Audnam and Wordsley, which councillors have campaigned for for some time. 

The new smart traffic signal system uses real-time traffic detection to optimise green-light timings, reducing congestion and delays, improving safety for all road users including cyclists, and cutting emissions by limiting stationary traffic.

Delays are expected until  Sunday 18th January - with heavy congestion around peak times, according to West Midlands Roads.

However, the councillor explained that not all of these delays are related to the planned works as some are "unplanned emergency repairs, which the Highways Network team could not have accounted for in advance."

Cllr Davies added: "While disruption during the works is unfortunately unavoidable at such a busy junction, at locations with temporary lights (including emergency works near the Cat in Wordsley), the council is insisting contractors use manual controls between 7am and 7pm to help ease congestion, though delays are obviously still expected due to traffic volumes.

"We'll continue to liaise with Highways on behalf of residents in Brierley Hill & Wordsley South ward, pushing for them to do all they can to help keep disruption to a minimum – and likewise, Cllr Kerry Lewis is doing so on behalf of residents in Wordsley North ward."

Residents took to the councillors Facebook comments furious at the state of the traffic in the area. One user said: "I live on Amblecote High ST so physically can not avoid it!" 

Another added: "It is a joke, over an hour to get from Hagley to Kingswinford this morning."

A third wrote: " It is ridiculous... as a resident just off the high street in Wordsley... for the 1st time ever I couldn't get out of our cul de sac because of traffic queuing in Kinver street to get out on to high street... once I could ,I turned away from the high street to use the back roads.. but so has everyone else..so side streets are busy like a main road!" 

Councillor Simon Phipps, cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: “We are aware that some motorists have experienced delays around High Street and Brettell Lane and would like to thank people for their patience.

"National Grid imposed multi-way signals in the area for an essential emergency repair which unfortunately coincided with our own scheduled road improvement works already underway. Dudley Council has no power to stop utility companies from doing this, but we will hold them to account if they fail to notify us within the required time or if they unreasonably outstay any permits that are ultimately issued to allow them to work in the highway. They are expected to be completed on this job over the weekend.

“Separately, Dudley Council is working with Transport for West Midlands to upgrade the traffic signals on the A491 (High Street) junctions with Brettell Lane, Collis Street and Vicarage Road on a £130,000 scheme designed to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the area, while assisting cyclists. This work is likely to complete around the middle of February."