Business leaders address Solihull’s transport issues

BUSINESS leaders in Solihull tasked with improving the borough’s transport network have attended a private briefing by Birmingham and Solihull Chamber of Commerce, ahead of a proposed lobbying campaign at national government level.

The event – known as Solihull Agenda – was hosted by chamber chief executive Jerry Blackett, and organisation represented included Centro, Birmingham International Airport, Advantage West Midlands, Solihull Borough Council and the Highways Agency.

Delegates from the BIA were asked to outline the airport’s expansion plans, in particular the project to increase the length of the existing runway. The move will pave the way for larger aircraft to use the hub and enable the airport to compete for high-capacity routes overseas.

The Highways Agency made a presentation to the meeting about its on-going plans to reduce congestion and keep the region’s motorways on the move, by expanding the use of active traffic management systems.

This system has been introduced on the M42 between Junctions 3a and 7, and is meant to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, by using a combination of human intervention and automated systems.

The system, which mirrors those found elsewhere in Europe, has been in operation for five years.

A quick and cheap way of widening a motorway, it makes use of the hard shoulder as an additional lane when the motorway is congested and the speed limit has been lowered to 50mph.

Delegates at the meeting heard about similar – but much smaller scale – transportation improvements in the borough, known as ‘quick wins’.

These are minor upgrades to the local road network, and are aimed at removing low grade problems which contribute to traffic issues in certain locations.

One of these is at the Cranmore industrial area, where revised waiting restrictions were recently introduced to alleviate various traffic problems.

At the other end of the spending scale, delegates also heard about the proposed HS2 rail line, and the likely effect it would have on the region’s economy. The event was also thrown open to the floor, for a question and answer session.

Jane Jackson, director of Solihull chamber, said: “Solihull Agenda is our vehicle for engaging at the highest level with key employers in the borough.

“The important issues raised will be taken forward to be used in lobbying campaigns at a national level.

“The subjects at Solihull Agenda will generally be generic, but we are open to suggestions for issues that need to be addressed.”

Sponsors of the event included host Blythe Valley Park, Sydney Mitchell and Prime. The next Agenda meeting will be held in the autumn, this time with a focus on skills.