Birmingham Road restrictions to be lifted as funfair returns to Stratford
TRAFFIC management measures on the Birmingham Road, Stratford, will be temporarily removed at the end of this week as the Runaway Mop sets up in town.
The funfair will be in Stratford on Friday (25th October) and Saturday (26th October) with road closures in place in the town centre.
Warwickshire County Council, which is behind the Birmingham Road project, said lifting traffic management had worked well and had helped traffic flow during the recent Mop Fair. The restrictions prevent traffic from leaving Stratford on the Birmingham Road.
The council has also announced a scheme to help with traffic flow and getting customers into town after the Runaway Mop - free parking at the Park and Ride site at Bishopton.
Cllr Tim Sinclair (Con, Stratford North) said: “Residents asked if the traffic management could be lifted ahead of the key events that increase traffic into the town centre.
“WCC worked with their contractors to see if this could be done and to trial it at the Stratford Mop earlier in October. Feedback from residents suggests that this was appreciated and that it did a lot to alleviate the difficulties of travelling into town at such a busy time.
“We have listened and, in response to requests to repeat the scheme for the Runaway Mop, I’m delighted that WCC will again be lifting traffic management on the Birmingham Road for this event.”
The traffic management will be lifted at 3pm on Friday and switched back on in the evening of Sunday.
Free parking at the Park and Ride runs from 28th October until 30th November.
Cllr Sinclair added: “Supporting our businesses on the Birmingham Road and in the town centre is vital. Many say they are being hit by the impact of the roadworks and I have every sympathy with them. As well as doing all we can to bring this first, particularly disruptive stage of works to a timely close, we are now looking to help trade in the town with a promotional campaign that will offer commuters a viable alternative to driving into the centre.”
The Birmingham Road work includes reconfiguring the road layout to switch to having two inward-bound lanes rather than two lanes heading away from town.
Phase two of the also includes improved drainage, a new shared cycleway and footway from Worths Way to Squirrels Street, a new crossing point over the Birmingham Road and a new bus shelter.
The next stages of the project will see the lanes narrowed on Birmingham Road and, when necessary, the use of temporary traffic lights.
Road closures for the Runaway Mop are from midnight on Friday until 6.30am on Sunday and include: Greenhill Street, Rother Street (from NCP entrance), Wood Street, Windsor Street (from Mansell Street) and Meer Street.
