Highway Agency Warn That BNRR Won't Reduce Motorway Traffic Or Cut Motorway Pollution

The Highway Agency have written to South Staffordshire to warn them that construction of the Birmingham Northern Relief Road won't reduce congestion on the M6 or reduce pollution from that motorway, and that this could leave pollution levels above Government health guidelines. [1]

According to a Highway Agency letter to South Staffordshire new work by consultants Oscar Faber, which has not been made public, advises 'that flows are unlikely to reduce on the M6 south of the [northern end of the] BNRR'.

It goes on to warn the council that predicted air pollution levels in some areas close tothe M6, which only just dip below the Government's acceptable level in 2005 in the council's forecasts may not reach that safe level because they are relying on BNRR reducing traffic.

Chris Crean of Friends of the Earth said:

'The Highways Agency is quick to publicise if its planting trees, but we don't see them trumpeting research about traffic on BNRR from the rooftops. They know BNRR won't work because any reduction in traffic on the M6 will just return in another form. They are, however, quite happy to keep quiet while Midland Expressway dig up the Green Belt with no concern for whose environment and habitats they destroy.'

FOE will be writing to the Highways Agency to demand that this information is made public before serious work begins on BNRR and the damage is irreversible.

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Contact Chris Crean: 0121 643 9117

[1] Letter from Highway Agency to South Staffordshire dated 18 Jan 2001 entitled 'Review and Assessment of Air Quality in South Staffordshire'.

Alliance Against the BNRR
54 - 57 Allison St. Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5TH.