Residents of Bromsgrove in Worcestershire have labelled as “totally senseless” a roadworks project on the A38 through the county, with multiple road closures and diversions causing significant delays.
The £50 million Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Project, or BREP, aims to widen a key part of the route which acts as a bypass to the town centre. But as the works rumble on, traffic is being forced through the town itself, says ITV.com.
“They say it’s a ‘major project’ – but realistically, it’s not,” said campaigner Jonathan Coleman. “It’s widening some junctions. It’s adding some traffic control. It should be a job that should be done in six to 12 months. For it to go on as long as it has done, and how long it will do, is just unacceptable.”
Despite it being the school holidays, when traffic levels traditionally fall, residents say the town is gridlocked on a regular basis.
“People take journeys which should take minutes, but can now take over an hour. It’s beyond ridiculous,”said Coleman.
Residents want to see the council hold contractors to account over the works, and scale back those that were “senseless”.
They include a new cycle route from the railway station. Instead of taking a direct route into the town centre, cyclists will be taken on a circuitous journey through two nearby estates – which have had their main access road sealed off for three months while the work takes place.
In response, a spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council said: “This major investment will increase capacity along the A38 and improve walking and cycling facilities.
“We recognise and apologise for any inconvenience caused by these works. Every effort has been made to plan and coordinate the programme to minimise disruption, with schemes delivered concurrently where possible to shorten the overall duration and manage costs.
“The highway network in Bromsgrove faces continued pressure from housing and commercial growth, alongside essential maintenance, utility works, and local events. All works are carefully coordinated and measures such as lane restrictions or temporary one-way systems are used to avoid full closures wherever possible.”
(Pic: Mapillary)
