Our consultation response for Kings Heath to Druids Heath bus priority

Filed under: Consultation

This is our response to bus priority proposals between Kings Heath and Druids Heath from Transport for West Midlands. If you agree with our response, you can reply to say you agree with Better Streets for Birmingham’s response.

Whilst we are fully behind the sentiment behind the proposed design, we have reservations around specific aspects of its implementation, which we will explore in detail below.

We agree with making all the bus lanes on the route 24/7 as this removes the need for people to think about whether they can drive in them. 

Featherstone Rd to Cocks Moor

We welcome the use of modal filters at the e Featherstone/Tenbury junction with Alcester Road which clears a blocking point during rush hour. These side roads suffer from rat running and speeding, and modal filters will make a massive difference to their residents.

Consideration needs to be given towards an additional modal filter on Livingstone Road to avoid exiting into a bus lane and to mitigate additional rat running caused by the Tenbury Road modal filter.

In turn,the long-term future of the Woodthorpe Road / Taylor Road junction might be better served by signalling it for single-direction phases, removing the need for right-turn lanes.

Additionally, the right-turn filter for Appian Close could be dropped from the proposals given there will only be a small number of traffic movements to and from this cul-de-sac.

Broad Lane

We would like the design team to rethink plans for this junction as we believe the filter lane will lead to an unsafe junction. 

Our suggestion is to move the current pedestrian traffic lights just south of the junction and change them into three-way lights with pedestrian crossing facilities. We would like these to be single-direction to remove the need for the filter lane.The space currently allocated for the filter lane could instead be used for a bus lane or future protected cycle lane.

Consideration should be given to moving bus stops closer to Cocks Moor Woods Leisure Centre. If possible, make the northbound lights go red when a bus goes through them, to minimise traffic backing up when the bus stops.

Warstock Lane to Maypole

We welcome allowing buses to bypass traffic queues that frequently build up on this section of the A435.

Consideration should be given to slight carriageway widening to enable a southbound bus lane between Whitland Drive and Amwell Grove. This would prioritise buses between Warstock Road to the Maypole.

Installing a bus gate on Glenavon Road to reduce the number of general traffic movements that creates congestion from drivers wanting to turn into Sladepool Farm Road and Glenavon Road may also be of benefit. There is a further opportunity to install a modal filter at the junction with Sladepool Farm Road without impeding access. 

We are disappointed with the lack of a protected cycle route on the southern section, which could be installed while the carriageway is already being widened for bus lanes. This mistake has been repeated across the city, leading to higher costs, worse embedded carbon and more disruption to road users when cycle schemes are built later. It is important that we improve the cycle network through all CRSTS schemes impacting roads. Failure to do so here feels like a missed opportunity.

Conclusion

We want to see this important bus route improved in order to improve bus journey time reliability. In step with the upcoming rail route, mobility along this corridor will become much more efficient.

We look forward to seeing how this project evolves from the consultation.