One week until complete tunnels closures start
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Bosses from the Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service (BHMMS) are issuing a reminder to residents, businesses and visitors to the city that 24 hour-a-day closures of the A38 tunnels through Birmingham start next week.
The St Chad’s and Queensway tunnels will close at 10pm on Friday 19 July and remain closed for six weeks until they reopen at 6am on Monday 2 September. The closures are to allow essential refurbishment work to be carried out on the 40-year-old tunnels.
Senior managers from the service, run by Amey in partnership with Birmingham City Council, have developed their own journey plans to help them get around while the key route is shut and are urging the public to do the same.
John Blakemore, Director of Highways and Resilience for Birmingham City Council, will be travelling mainly by train during the closures. He said: “If you haven’t already, now really is the time to be thinking about how you will travel into and around the city during the tunnels closures. There is a lot of information available about public transport options and support for those thinking about adding cycling or walking to their journey.
“While we appreciate that some people will still need to drive, the best way to travel will be to leave the car at home or outside the city at a park and ride site.”
Commuters planning ahead are advised to check the website www.brumtunnels.co.uk where there is information including a special £80 tunnels ticket offer from bus operator National Express, details of park and ride sites, dates of led cycle rides and bicycle servicing events, links to journey planners, downloadable destination maps with alternatives routes and more.
Mike Notman, BHMMS Project Director for Amey, added that he will be making changes: “We all need to do our bit to help keep the city moving while the tunnels are being refurbished. I will be playing my part and making my journey into the city centre by train.
“If people make changes where they can, by either using public transport or – if driving is unavoidable – by following the alternative routes that will be signed on the network, it will help us to minimise the disruption while this essential work is carried out.”