M6 inquiry to be held tomorrow

A HEARING convened by the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner into the circumstances delaying the reopening of the M6 in Birmingham following a fatal accident last month will take place on Friday (March 18).

David Jamieson said the public hearing would seek to ensure that lessons are learnt from what happened and that there is better co-ordination in the future.

Representatives from the various agencies involved in the incident will all give evidence at the hearing, which will be presided over by the PCC and representatives from his Strategic Policing and Crime Board.

Those giving evidence will be:
•    Highways England
•    West Midlands Police
•    Birmingham City Council
•    Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
•    Coventry City Council
•    Warwickshire County Council

The accident, which happened in the early hours of Thursday February 4, caused the motorway to be closed between Junctions 5 and 6 for almost 24 hours with traffic diverted through Birmingham, gridlocking the city for most of the day.

A Highways England briefing following the accident cited police accident investigations, recovery work, traffic tailbacks, a lengthy resurfacing operation and repair vehicles trapped in the ensuing congestion as all factors contributing to the delay.

When he convened the meeting, the PCC asked for people affected by the closure to contribute their stories. As a result, more than 100 people came forward offering evidence.

After the hearing, the PCC will make recommendations on how the motorway might be re-opened more quickly, taking into account safety considerations.

There were calls by various business groups after the accident for the M6 Toll to be offered as a free-to-use alternative to motorists stuck in the congestion.

It is believed the move would have cost the public bodies around £300,000, but this is thought to be a fraction of the cost to business because of the delay.

Whether there is any recommendation for this after the hearing remains to be seen.

The hearing will take place at 10am in Committee Room 2 at Birmingham City Council House, Victoria Square. For those unable to attend, the meeting will be webcast live via www.westmidspcc.public-i.tv/