Birmingham City Council has unveiled plans for a significant shake-up at a major city centre junction, aiming to tackle poor air quality and persistent traffic jams. The Labour-run authority is proposing to install a new bus gate near the heart of the Knowledge Quarter, specifically at the junction of Dartmouth Middleway, Lister Street, and Great Lister Street.
Targeting Harmful Pollution and Congestion
The council has identified this area as a hotspot for harmful pollution, primarily due to congestion and slow-moving traffic. This leads to elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), a pollutant known to adversely affect lung health, with children and young people being particularly vulnerable.
Given the junction's proximity to schools, colleges, and universities within the Birmingham Knowledge Quarter, improving air quality and the overall street environment is deemed especially critical for public health.
Key Features of the Proposed Improvements
The planned enhancements for the Dartmouth Middleway junction include:
- A new bus gate on Dartmouth Middleway that will prohibit eastbound and westbound general traffic, giving buses priority by holding other vehicles at a red light to allow them to bypass queued traffic.
- Shared-use cycle tracks to promote active travel options.
These measures are designed not only to reduce unnecessary through-traffic but also to prioritise public transport, walking, wheeling, and cycling, aligning with the council's broader transport and climate objectives.
Part of a Wider Clean Air Strategy
The proposals form an integral part of Birmingham's Clean Air Zone Additional Measures programme, which focuses on delivering targeted changes in locations where cleaner air is most urgently needed. This initiative supports the city's commitment to addressing the climate emergency by fundamentally altering travel habits.
According to the council's transport plan, over-dependence on private cars is detrimental to health, community well-being, and business productivity, with congestion costing millions of pounds annually in lost output.
Funding and Implementation Details
The works at the Dartmouth Middleway junction are funded through a government capital grant of £14.215 million for the Clean Air Zone Implementation Programme, accepted by the council in 2019. The total cost for this specific scheme is just under £1 million, covering detailed design, public consultation, and construction phases.
A public consultation on the proposals is currently underway, running until February 19, allowing residents and stakeholders to provide feedback on the planned changes.
