The 5Ws route. Wolverhampton City Centre Options WOLVERHAMPTON, WEDNESFIELD, WILLENHALL, WALSALL AND WEDNESBURY

Transcription

1 WOLVERHAMPTON, WEDNESFIELD, WILLENHALL, WALSALL AND WEDNESBURY The 5Ws route The 5Ws route will link to Metro Line 1 at Wolverhampton and then serve the communities of Wednesfield, Willenhall and Walsall before linking again to Metro Line 1 at. This will connect into the proposed extension to Brierley Hill. Centro, working with Wolverhampton City Council and Walsall and Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Councils, has identified the route that we are consulting with you about. We have undertaken a number of engineering, economic and environmental studies to support the work and ensure that the proposal will meet the Government criteria for improving public transport. In some areas we have identified options for the Metro line to use and in other areas we may have looked at other options and had to discount them. Wolverhampton City Centre Options Two proposals have been identified for Metro to serve Wolverhampton City Centre and link to Metro Line One. These are considered below. Option A Wolverhampton Centre - Single Track Loop Market Street This would take the Metro line from the existing terminus at St Georges and provide a single track loop along Market Street, Princess Street, Lichfield Street and Piper s Row. All trams would travel around the loop in the same (clockwise) direction. Stops would be provided in Bilston Street (existing stop), Market Street (to serve the city centre) and Piper s Row (to serve the bus station). This will also improve the existing Metro Line One service.

2 Option B Wolverhampton Centre - Double Track Piper s Row This option would provide double tracks in Piper s Row with a stop serving the bus station. Option A would bring the Metro closer to city centre shopping core, but would require highway changes in Market Street. Option B would provide a slightly quicker end to end journey and would be easier to construct. Proposed Metro links to railway station and beyond Metro would then cross over the Ring Road on a widened Railway Drive to stop outside the proposed new railway station and interchange. The route then crosses Corn Hill before passing under the mainline railway and into Sun Street.

3 Figure 1 Wolverhampton City Centre Route options Sun Street - Heath Town From Sun Street the Metro would run along Wednesfield Road, through Heath Town. Along the dual carriageway, there is a choice for the alignment of Metro. Option A Heath Town - Wednesfield Road/ Wolverhampton Road - Metro Side Running

4 Metro would be constructed in one of the carriageways with general traffic consigned to two- way running in a modified other carriageway. This would enable Metro to run quicker without delays from other traffic. With this option the side road junctions would need to be signalised. Option B Heath Town - Wednesfield Road/ Wolverhampton Road - Highway Running In this option Metro would run with other traffic using the existing bus lanes. Delays could occur through the interaction of the trams and other vehicles sharing the same road space. Metro would then run along Wolverhampton Road to New Cross hospital. A stop is proposed in the hospital grounds to provide convenient and direct access. Metro would continue along Rookery Street to Wednesfield Centre. There, two options have been identified to allow the Metro to pass through Wednesfield.

5 Wednesfield Options Option A This option would provide a stop on Alfred Squire Road serving Wednesfield village centre. The route would then run on- street along March End Road and Waddens Brook Lane. A stop is proposed on Waddens Brook Lane. This route runs along mainly residential roads. The route would require two properties to be demolished to provide a new junction at Nechells Lane/ Alfred Squire Road and would require a section of March End Road to be widened. This would require the front gardens to be shortened on 22 residential properties. People in properties fronting this route would be required to accept a changed environment and part of this consultation is to discuss the area changes with them. Option B This option would follow the route of Well Lane and Wednesfield Way and take the Metro south of Wednesfield through the major industrial development areas, which are currently being developed. A stop in Well Lane would serve both Wednesfield Centre and the Bentley Bridge retail and leisure development. Six residential properties in Well Lane would have to be demolished to achieve this option. The route would then run along Wednesfield Way, to make a major positive impact for regeneration of this area by serving the business, leisure and industrial developments now taking place. This option therefore would not only serve the village centre and provide least environmental damage to the residential areas but also provide new access opportunities to the developments at Bentley Bridge, Brook Point and Corus Steel park. For both options Metro would then cross fields and the Fibbersley Nature Reserve to reach Willenhall.

6 Figure 2 Wednesfield routes Willenhall Options Option A Construction of a Willenhall loop The route would leave the former railway line after Temple Bar and head towards Willenhall centre. A town centre stop would be provided adjacent to the Clemson Street car park. The route would then run along Lower Lichfield Street to rejoin the former rail line at St Anne s Road, near Stringes Lane. This option would complement the local regeneration strategy and improve access to the town centre and better interchange with local bus services. However, this option would extend the journey time and also has greater property, environmental and economic impact. Option B Use of existing embankments/ cuttings This option uses the existing disused railway alignment, embankments and cuttings between Temple Bar and St Anne s Road will be lowered or infilled to reduce the visual intrusion of the Metro route. This option is quicker but does not provide such convenient access to Willenhall centre. East Of Willenhall

7 From St Anne s Road the route would follow the line of the former railway. A bridge would be constructed to take Metro over the M6 motorway and on through the new Reedswood development, running north of Reedswood Way. The route would continue along the former rail line, crossing under Green Lane, across Bloxwich Road to approach Walsall centre from the north at Ryecroft Junction. This section of the route would require earthmoving during construction to fill deep cuttings. The route would re- use some existing bridges, which could reduce the number of level crossings. The route would be designed to enhance the environment by reducing the impact of the tram on the landscape. An alternative alignment from Willenhall, using the line of the former Bentley Canal, Wolverhampton Road West, Bentley Mill Way to approach Walsall centre from the south was considered, but rejected on economic grounds as it would not pass Government requirements for a Metro route. Northern approach to Walsall Centre On this section of the route the preferred alignment from Ryecroft Junction to central Walsall is to cross North Street and Portland Street, across part of the development site north of Littleton Street West. The route would cross Littleton Street near the leather museum and along Wisemore. This would provide a stop in the area of Park Street giving excellent access to the town centre. Other possible route alignments which have been considered and rejected included: an approach via Hatherton Street, Darwall Street and St Paul s Street. This would have had to cross the railway twice and would have significantly disrupted traffic flows around the bus station. an approach from the former rail line, along the A34 Green Lane which would have disrupted traffic flows and reduced the capacity of the road, as well as requiring more property acquisition. These routes have been rejected on engineering, environmental and economic grounds as they would not pass Government requirements for a Metro route. Walsall Centre The main town centre tram stop will be at the top of Park Street and will therefore be very accessible from the town centre. Southern route from Walsall Town Centre The route could leave the town centre along Bridgeman Street to join Pleck Road and passing the Manor Hospital. The route would continue along Pleck Road into Wellington Street to join Darlaston Road. Metro would then run on street. The route would leave Darlaston Road near Cemetery Road to join the former rail line and continue on towards Darlaston running adjacent to Victoria Road and Crescent Road and on towards. Sandwell Section

8 The route will use a long- disused former railway alignment to Holyhead Road, which it will then follow to where it will call at the bus station (soon to be re- built), which will provide better interchange facilities. It will then link into Metro Line One which between Wolverhampton and Birmingham and the proposed extension from to Brierley Hill via Merry Hill. 5W s Metro Line Consultation Centro is carrying out a series of public consultation exercises and general awareness exhibitions throughout 2003 which are listed below. While the primary purpose of the consultations is listed, staff will be glad to deal with any other queries on subjects relating to Centro and its activities. Where consultations are linked to information already on the Centro web site, links have been provided to these pages. Information given below is correct at time of publishing this page but may be subject to last minute change of timings or venue. If you want to make sure that the consultation is as listed please ring

9 Date Time Type Consultation Location NOVEMBER Wed 26 th 16:30- Staffed Exhibiton 20:00 Thurs 27 th Fri 28 th 10:00-16:00 Sat 29 th 10:00-15:00 9:30-16:30 DECEMBER Mon 1 st 11:00-15:30 Tues 2nd 10:00 16:00 Wed 3 rd 14:30 17:30 Thurs 4 th 18:30-20:20 Fri 5 th 14:00-17:00 Sat 6th Tues 9 th 17:00 19:00 Wed 10 th 17:00 19: Thurs11 th 10:00 16:00 Sat 13 th 09:00-17:00 19:00 City Centre to Airport City Centre to Airport City Centre to Great Barr City Centre to Great Barr City Centre to Airport City Centre to Great Barr Haymills And Yardley Community Centre Quinton Ward Committee Thinktank/MilleniumPoint The Bridge, Walsall Nechells Green Community Centre, Melvina Road, Nechells, Birmingham B7 4QU The Scott Arms Public House Car Park Edgbaston St, Birmingham Markets Newtown Community Centre, Youth Area Bartley Green Community Centre Harborne Library Wednesfield Area Forum St Peters Area Forum Civic Centre 3 rd Floor 5 Ways Car Park, Calthorpe Road The Bridge, Walsall Wolverhampton Library