Express & Star

LETTER: Plan ahead for the traffic

I wrote a few years ago, our roads are congested because we built the town first, then wondered where to put the roads.

Published
Traffic congestion on the A34 in Great Barr close to the Scott Arms junction

In comparison, other countries build the roads first then the town around it.

Still it might help if our roads were built properly not piece meal.

Examples of bad planning are M5 Junction 1 at A41 West Brom.

It could have had an A41 flyover built 50-odd years ago when the M5 was constructed.

Likewise, five years ago the Expressway had a £27 million underpass, which should have been included in 1974.

The Express & Star reports the junction A4123/M5 J2, having more millions spent: this too could have been included 50 odd years ago, a flyover of the A4123

The possibly worst example is A34 The Scott Arms, which these days is mega busy.

Sixty-five years ago, before being built up, it was much more rural, and could have had an underpass, but I guess ‘planners’ did not realise.

For how it should be done, the nearby A34/M6 J7 has a flyover above the motorway allowing through traffic.

At times I wonder why we have planners.

Robert William White

Wigmore