What can we do to make the area along the A38 (Bristol Road) nicer for people who live, work and visit there? How can we connect this area better with other parts of the city?
What investments and environmental measures can be taken to make the city centre’s street network including the A38 corridor more attractive to residents, visitors and workers? What should be done to improve the connections to the wider city centre?
At the moment, traffic jams are mostly around the main junctions on the Ring Road and along the A38 (Bristol Road). The main areas for traffic problems in the centre are at Holloway Circus, Paradise Circus, St Chads, around the Bull Ring/Moat Lane and at Masshouse. While access by car is and will remain vital for the sucess and vitality of the city centre, we must cut the amount of traffic to meet carbon emissions targets, and less traffic will also be good for the city. It is essential that we improve the quality of alternatives to the car (see later sections). We must also deal with how the actual traffic and road network affects the development of the city centre and how nice it looks.
Traffic congestion is currently related primarily to key junctions on the Ring Road, while the A38 corridor also continues to experience high levels of traffic demand. The main areas of congestion in the centre are at the junctions of Holloway Circus, Paradise Circus, St Chads, around the gyratory systems at Bull Ring/Moat Lane and at Masshouse. While access by car is and will remain vital for the success and vitality of the city centre, reducing traffic levels will be necessary if carbon emissions targets are to be met, while reduced congestion will also benefit the city. Improving the quality of alternatives to the car will clearly be essential (see later sections). The negative impacts of the physical traffic and highway infrastructure on the development and overall attractiveness of the city centre must also be addressed.
Another idea would be to create the “Birmingham Boulevard”, that is we could make the area along the A38 (Bristol Road) into a nice route, not only for vehicles, but for people to walk along, with shops and entrances to buildings, and lined with trees to make a much nicer place to be.
Another possible approach would be to create the “Birmingham Boulevard” – the transformation of the A38 corridor into an attractive route not only for vehicles but for people to walk along, fronted by shops and building entrances and lined with trees to create a much more habitable environment.
How can we improve the area along the A38 (Bristol Road) within the city centre, while keeping it as a main road for traffic?
How can the A38 corridor within the city centre be reconfigured to reduce its negative impact, whilst still retaining an important traffic carrying function?