Land Oak crossroads plan branded 'idiotic'

KIDDERMINSTER'S roads would be thrown into chaos by "idiotic" changes to one of the town's busiest junctions, says a campaigning councillor.

Rachel Lewis has launched a petition after uncovering a radical proposal to dramatically alter traffic flows at the Land Oak crossroads.

It would involve banning drivers from turning left or right off the A456 Birmingham Road where it crosses the A449 Chester Road at Land Oak.

The plan came to light when the Greenhill Liberal councillor obtained a copy of a letter from the Highways Agency contractor, AmeyMouchel, which is privately consulting other agencies on improvements to the junction.

"It is a bewilderingly idiotic prescription for unwarranted chaos and inconvenience on a massive scale - it must be stopped," said Mrs Lewis whose ward covers Land Oak.

She said the letter states a full study has been undertaken and a number of recommendations are to be put to the Highways Agency.

Measures including special paving, dropped kerbs at crossing points and anti-skid surfaces have also been suggested in a bid to cut the number of accidents at the junction.

But Mrs Lewis believes the no-turn plans "would create havoc" and said: "This would cause enormous confusion and diversions for motorists and absolute havoc on neighbouring residential roads, which would be turned into heavily overloaded and congested rat runs."

She feared people living in Baldwin Road, Bruce Road and Hurcott Road on one side of Birmingham Road and Linden Avenue on the other side would be hardest hit by drivers trying to beat the turning restrictions.

She pointed out: "These roads were simply not designed to take that level of traffic. Residents on all the residential streets leading on to Hurcott Road would be affected by heavily increased traffic.

"Traffic coming out of town on Birmingham Road and wishing to access the A449 would pour on to Roden Avenue and Shrubbery Street.

"A number of businesses around the junction would be hard hit as it suddenly became harder to get to them from various directions.

"And some householders close to the junction would find themselves faced with the most peculiar diversions to get to and from particular destinations."

She added: "The ripples from such a change would spread out, causing problems across a wide area of Kidderminster."

An AmeyMouchel spokesman said a new system which is more responsive to traffic demand is to be installed at the Land Oak traffic lights this month to improve flow.

However, he added that he was unaware of any other proposals for the junction in the current financial year.

Mrs Lewis's petition will be circulated to around 12,000 homes on the Eastern side of Kidderminster over the next couple of days and to some local businesses. It will then be forwarded to the Highways Agency.