4pm update: City centre chaos continues

PARTS of Birmingham city centre remain closed off this afternoon as a stand-off between police and a man threatening to jump from a bridge at Paradise Circus, close to the central library, enters its second day.

Police said they were still uncertain when the incident might end and repeated a call for the public to remain as understanding as possible.

In the meantime, office workers were bracing themselves for a second night of disruption and the prospect of another difficult journey home.

The jumper took to his perch on railings next to the library at 4pm yesterday and the stand-off was still going on this morning, resulting in roads around the main Colmore business district becoming badly congested as commuters clogged roads in an attempt to reach their offices.

Chief Inspector Sean Russell from Birmingham Central police station said this morning: “We fully appreciate the disruption and inconvenience this has caused to commuters and we ask them for their continuing patience and understanding as we enter a second day of this incident.

“There will inevitably be significant disruption to traffic during rush hour, but we ask that people try and avoid the area around Paradise Circus if at all possible and possibly consider using public transport.”

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Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery remained closed and the central library did not open until later in the morning with access restricted via Paradise Forum.

Birmingham City Council said police negotiators were still talking to the man, who has positioned himself on the bridge above Paradise Circus, near to the Chamberlain Square entrance to Paradise Forum. For safety reasons the section of Paradise Circus below the bridge remain closed.

Road closures remain in place on Paradise Circus between Great Charles Street and Paradise Street. Traffic is being prevented from joining Great Charles St at the exit to St Chads Tunnel and is instead being directed through the Queensway Tunnel. Traffic is being allowed to cross Great Charles St at Newhall Street, but there are warnings of delays and congestion at this point.

“There is currently no indication of an end time for this incident. Because of this it is predicted that there will be traffic congestion in and around the area again this morning,” said a council spokesman.

Many office workers had struggled through the congestion as they left work last night with the Colmore Row, Church Street, Cornwall Street, Great Charles Street Queensway and Newhall Street area gridlocked for hours.

Many workers abandoned their vehicles and headed for the area’s bars and restaurants instead, giving their owners an unexpected boost to their business.

Unfortunately, many found the situation little improved by the time they returned several hours later.

A function last night marking the opening of the new Mazars offices in Church Street was one of those affected.

Guest of honour at the event was five-times Olympic gold medal winner Sir Steve Redgrave,  who travelled up from London only to find himself delayed by an hour and a half as he attempted to reach the offices.

As it was, the event perhaps attracted more people than expected and many stayed later than anticipated as they became virtually a captive audience.

Still stoicism and good humour prevailed as most made the best of the situation.

Meetings were expected to be badly affected again this morning as workers struggled in.

Many workers were critical that it took so long to clear the traffic during the rush hour last night but West Midlands Police said the decision to close the roads had been taken to try and stop motorists and pedestrians from influencing the man in any way.