A34 Perry Barr highways improvement scheme – Birchfield Bridge update

Birmingham City Council has announced details on the latest element of the A34 Perry Barr highways improvement scheme, including key dates for anyone who uses key transport routes in the area.

The scheme is creating a new road layout to support the wider regeneration of Perry Barr; providing better access to public transport and improving facilities for cycling and walking.

In the latest element, as the project nears completion, is work for the new bridge at Birchfield Island.

In order to do this, there is a need to lift in a number of large concrete beams which will span the underpass and form the new bridge deck.

This work will take place over the weekend of Friday 16 July to Monday 19 July and will involve a full closure of the A34 underpass, and a partial closure of Birchfield Island.

The underpass closure will be in place in both directions commencing at 7pm on Friday night until 6am on Monday morning and traffic will be diverted up to the Birchfield Island and back down onto A34.

The Birchfield roundabout will also need to be closed to east-west traffic for the weekend to enable the work to be carried out safely. Local and wider diversion routes will be in place and local residents and businesses have been written to, informing them of the works.

Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, Cllr Waseem Zaffar said: “Work on the A34 Highways improvement scheme are progressing well and I am confident that, once delivered, Perry Barr will become one of the most well-connected areas in Birmingham, if not the wider region.

“The Birchfield Island is a major part of the overall scheme and this is a significant package of work within it. A closure such as the one planned is the only way we can do this in a safe manner.

“We are working to keep disruption to a minimum by concentrating this work into one spell as short as possible, but this will have an impact on people’s travel arrangements in the area. It’s really important that people plan their journeys with this in mind – and the short-term disruption will be far outweighed by the improvements this scheme will ultimately bring.”

To help minimise disruption, Birmingham City Council will work with its partners, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) to keep local residents, businesses, commuters and visitors informed of live traffic updates, road closures and alternative methods of travel. National Express will also be making some minor adjustments to some bus routes to minimise disruption to services.

Anne Shaw, Director of Network Resilience for TfWM, said: “The redevelopment of Perry Barr will vastly improve connectivity and public transport services for the people of north Birmingham.

“As with any works of this scale there will inevitably be some disruption to people’s journeys while work is carried out. We strongly urge people to plan ahead and allow more time for their journeys. We would also ask people to consider travelling at a quieter time, walk or cycle for shorter trips or try an alternative route.

“Through our Regional Transport Coordination Centre, we will be monitoring the network closely, minute by minute, and keeping travellers updated with the latest information and advice to minimise the impact of these works.”