MOTORISTS could see traffic speeds increase on Birmingham Road, Stratford, by up to 5mph when changes are made to the Western Road junction.
Warwickshire County Council plans to remove the traffic lights at Western Road and ban right turns from Western Road onto Birmingham Road.
Drivers will instead have to travel north on Birmingham Road, do a u-turn at the roundabout and join the traffic heading back towards the Arden Street junction.
Traffic queuing on the Birmingham Road, Stratford. Photo: Mark Williamson
The change is part of the council’s final phase of works to improve Birmingham Road and help ease congestion.
The Herald asked the county council what impact the removal of the traffic lights would have on traffic flows and speeds as well as on the roundabout at Regal Road – one of the exits for shoppers leaving the Maybird Centre.
A WCC spokesperson said that, according to the traffic modelling work it has carried out, there would be minimal impact on the roundabout with 90 motorists completing a u-turn every hour during the afternoon peak times.
And they added: “The removal of the [Western Road] signals indicates that traffic travelling south along Birmingham road will likely experience increases in average speeds, relative to the conditions, from around 12mph to 17mph as there is less friction due to there being no need to stop at the Western Road signals.
“From Western Road average speeds improve eastbound in the busiest period from speeds of around 7mph to 15mph. Again, there is less friction due to the removal of the lights. Additionally the Arden Street junction creates gaps allowing left turning traffic to exit more freely.”
Phase three of the Birmingham Road work is currently under way but, as reported previously by the Herald, no longer includes a second entrance into the Tesco car park – it was too costly.
This phase includes upgrade to footpaths with the majority being shared with cyclists, two inbound lanes on Birmingham Road between The Avenue and the Arden Street junction, a new traffic-controlled crossing north of the Regal Round roundabout to replace the refuge island, and resurfacing work.