News
Major change for Walsall town centre traffic this weekend
Motorists trying to use Walsall town centre face more traffic disruption as the Council rushes to move bus stops and introduce road diversions to help Tesco open its new store earlier than planned.
The bus stops on St Paul’s Street, outside the old demolished college campus, will be moved from St Paul’s Street to Hatherton Road in order to make space in front of the new supermarket entrance.
Meanwhile, from Sunday 23 May, this Sunday coming, traffic from St Paul’s Street along Hatherton Road, will be diverted left into Hatherton Street towards the ring road – so blocking the through-route to Lichfield Street. Traffic accessing Hatherton Road via Hatherton Street, and Lower Forster Street, will find no right hand turn into Lichfield Street at the bottom of Hatherton Road but will be guided left, back out of town towards the Arboretum junction.
This means the main access to the Town Hall on Lichfield Street will be from the Arboretum junction although access will also still be available via Intown Row, the narrow one-way passage off Lower Rushall Street.
Signs announcing this weekend’s road closures and re-routes have already been put in place earlier this week.
Tesco intends to open the store off Littleton Street in time for Christmas and the retail giant needs Walsall Council to carry out the work if it is to open before the lucrative shopping season.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Walsall Council Deputy Leader and cabinet member for Regeneration, said: “Tesco asked us to bring forward some work which we understand could help allow them to open before Christmas as rather than the Spring. We have been happy to oblige to play our part to create new jobs and bring investment to Walsall. We’re asking motorists in advance to look out for changes from 23 May and we will be keeping a close eye on how the changes bed in. We are bucking the national trend by seeing investment pour into Walsall town centre which you can see around you. The £55m Tesco is just one piece of the jigsaw puzzle and it’s happened thanks to the blood, sweat and hard toil by ourselves and our partners.”
Following “swift action from Walsall Council transport bosses”, long planned ‘bus gates’ will come into effect to combat rat running through the town centre months ahead of schedule. The changes were debated and approved at a public inquiry six years ago.
A leaflet has been produced hoping to help explain what the changes will mean along with a map showing the various restrictions and diversions. Once the work has been completed to Tesco’s satisfaction, the following permanent changes will be implemented.
• Hatherton Road will be closed to all through traffic at its junction with Hatherton Street, except for buses and cycles.
• No right turn from Hatherton Road into Lichfield Street except buses and cycles.
• A contra-flow bus lane along Hatherton Road, from the junction with Lichfield Street to the bus station entrance.
The road closures and diversions will come as a complete surprise to many motorists but the Tesco request has provided an opportunity to rush through long-term planned changes to further restrict private vehicle access to the town inside the ringroad perimeter.
Whilst through-traffic up Bridge Street to Ablewell Street will be eased, more pressure will certainly be placed on Arboretum junction and on the single carriageway up Broadway North by traffic heading out of town towards the M6 south and Birmingham.