BROMSGROVE MP Bradley Thomas is calling on the new-look county council to look at the A38 BREP scheme and how it can be delivered in a way which mitigates disruption to drivers and pedestrians.
Writing to the Standard, Mr Thomas said since he was elected he had been holding Worcestershire County Council to account over the scheme.
“Traffic congestion and delays blight our everyday lives and hampers our economy. I get your frustrations, and even anger, with Bromsgrove’s traffic problems because I get stuck in the gridlock too.
“Whilst I welcome investment in our highways infrastructure, it’s critical that this delivers both a tangible improvement in keeping Bromsgrove moving, and in reducing the congestion and gridlock that blights the lives of residents and businesses.
“It’s my job as your MP to hold the county council to account and to ensure the project delivers the promises that were made.”
He said one of the first meetings he held was between the Revise BREP Group and the county council’s cabinet member with responsibility for highways and Transport.
“However, like you, in recent weeks and months I have grown increasingly frustrated at the disruption this work is causing.”
Mr Thomas said he had written to the council about six key points.
Among them are the apparent lack of progress of the works in recent months, the seemingly little planned increase in vehicle flow and a reduction of congestion once the works are completed and a lack of suitable visual plans of the final outcome available on the project website to allay the concerns in his second point.
He also expressed concerns about ‘equipment sitting dormant through a full working day’, pedestrian safety while works are taking place, including a lack of crossing points on the A38 and fears over the ‘prolonged road closure of Stoke Road’.
“Could this be a staged closure to better manage traffic flow/access?”
He added he was pragmatic and wanted to find workable solutions to issues.
But, he added: “If this project doesn’t lead to tangible improvements in keeping Bromsgrove moving and in reducing the congestion after all the money that has been spent and after all the frustration it has caused, then we will all be asking the same question: what was the point?”
A Worcestershire County Council spokesperson said: “We acknowledge receipt of the letter from Bradley Thomas MP.
“We understand the points raised, and will be responding in due course.”
Visit this story at bromsgrovestandard.co.uk for the latest updates.
