Smart thinking for Warwick Road

People living, working and travelling along the A41 Warwick Road will be the first in the West Midlands to benefit from a package of congestion busting and environment enhancing measures being developed as part of the region's first Smart Route.

Birmingham and Solihull Councils and transport authority Centro are working together to identify the best improvements to tackle traffic congestion, improve journey times and reliability, enhance road safety and improve pedestrian facilities along the transport corridor.

This will involve looking at the route in detail and talking to the local community to fully understand the needs of all users who live, work and travel along the route, and identify the opportunities and issues that exist.

This information will then be used to develop the best strategy for the route, recognising the role of the Warwick Road as a key transport artery and as a place where people live, shop and work.

A key part of the Smart Routes initiative is that, once the package of improvements is decided on, it will be implemented in the most co-ordinated, efficient and effective way possible resulting in better value for money and with less disruption to the public.

A series of consultation events on the A41 Warwick Road Smart Route are underway, including stakeholder meetings and public perception surveys.

In addition, all properties within the corridor will shortly be leafleted and people asked to provide their views through a questionnaire. People can also give their comments at www.warwickroad.org.uk, by email at comments@warwickroad.org.uk or by telephone at 0121 483 6485.

Work on implementing the measures could start in early 2010 after the consultation process has been completed and a package of improvements has been developed.

More information about the A41 Warwick Road Smart Route can be found at www.warwickroad.org.uk

Representatives will be available to take peoples' views at the following public events:

• Saturday 12 September 2009, 11am - 3pm, Sparkhill Adult Education Centre, 477 Stratford Road, Birmingham, B11 4LE
• Saturday 19 September 2009, 11am - 3pm, Acocks Green Library, Shirley Road, Birmingham, B27 7XH
• Saturday 19 September 2009, 11am - 3pm, Olton Library, 169A Warwick Road, Olton, Solihull, B92 7AR