Police Intervention Required as Funeral Traffic Gridlocks Sutton Coldfield Cemetery
Police were summoned to Sutton Coldfield's New Hall Cemetery after a large funeral procession caused severe traffic chaos, leaving residents distressed and trapped in their homes. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, February 7, saw Lindridge Road completely gridlocked as mourners parked on grass verges and even drove along pavements where pedestrians were walking.
Residents 'In Tears' Over Repeated Disruption
Local councillor Richard Parkin reported receiving calls from residents who were "in tears" due to the ongoing disruption. "Many residents have contacted me over the past 24 hours, furious and upset by the failure of the council to manage the number of cars attempting to access the cemetery," said Parkin, who represents the Reddicap ward.
This marked the second major incident in eight days, following similar chaos on Friday, January 30. Residents reported being unable to access their driveways, with some too scared to open their doors. Emergency services, including ambulances, have previously been caught in similar traffic jams at the site.
Calls for Burial Suspension at Expanded Cemetery
Councillor Parkin has formally requested Birmingham City Council to suspend all burials at New Hall Cemetery until a workable traffic management solution can be implemented. In a scathing letter to the council's bereavement services department, Parkin stated: "Until such time as the council can guarantee the freedom of movement of residents and their personal safety, they now have no choice other than to suspend burials from outside Sutton Coldfield."
The councillor blamed the council's decision to rapidly expand the cemetery years ago without adequate infrastructure planning. "The council has brought this upon themselves by not investing in essential infrastructure improvements when they decided to rapidly expand the cemetery," Parkin added.
Community Outrage on Social Media
Residents vented their frustration on the Falcon Lodge Facebook group, with one commenting: "It's a joke. The police were trying to direct traffic but not much success." Another resident expressed anger about noise disturbance: "My dad is trying to rest and all they hear is car horns and people shouting. It's a joke and enough is enough now."
Some residents reported calling 999 during the chaos, while others contacted senior bereavement services officers directly. One resident claimed: "The bereavement services don't care about this local community. The only community they worry about is the ones that are coming from miles away to bury their dead here."
Council Response and Proposed Solutions
Despite Parkin's calls for suspension, Birmingham City Council has stated it will not agree to halting burials. Councillor Jamie Tennant, Cabinet Member for Social Justice, Community Safety and Equalities, outlined measures being implemented: "Over the last 12 months, we have introduced a number of measures to help manage traffic levels during busy periods at Sutton New Hall Cemetery."
These measures include temporary one-way systems, additional traffic management arrangements, and recently completed work to increase parking provision within the cemetery. A planning application for a second entrance has been submitted, and a detailed Travel Plan has been completed to identify longer-term solutions.
Police Involvement and Ongoing Concerns
West Midlands Police confirmed they responded to the traffic congestion on February 7. A police spokesman stated: "We continue to work closely with community leaders and local authority partners to address any illegal parking that is reported to us. Neighbourhood police are in contact with local residents following concerns raised."
Councillor Parkin, who called 999 during the incident - the first time he has done so since being elected four years ago - emphasized the seriousness of the situation: "Police officers had to come out and do their best to deal with the situation. They have better things to do than deal with issues caused by the failure of this council to plan ahead."
Broader Context of Birmingham Burial Space
The traffic issues at New Hall Cemetery occur against a backdrop of limited burial space across Birmingham. The cemetery currently has 3,000 of its 12,000 burial plots available, with plans to expand to 24,000 total plots. This expansion comes as other city cemeteries, including Handsworth Cemetery's Muslim section, have reached capacity.
In 2020, the council stated that the investment at Sutton New Hall would "provide sufficient burial land in Birmingham for the next 18 years for those communities who wish to be buried in that part of the city." However, the rapid expansion appears to have outpaced infrastructure improvements.
The council is currently trialing extended opening hours at the cemetery until 7pm (from the previous 4pm closing time) through May 31, though this measure does not address the fundamental traffic management issues during large funerals.
