Businesses 'trapped' on industrial park in delays

Businesses on an industrial park near Coventry say they are getting "trapped" in delays of up to an hour-and-a-half because of a £106m roadworks scheme.



Commuters on the Middlemarch estate said the delays were being caused by a Highways Agency project to create a new road layout at Tollbar Island.

One managing director said he regretted having moved his business to the area from Birmingham.

However, the agency said the work would improve access to the estate.

Steve Finn, managing director of DMG Mori, a company located on the estate, said: "It's very, very poor planning.

"We moved into this area two years ago after closing offices in Birmingham, Milton Keynes and Slough.

"We employ about 100 people, so we are bringing a lot to the area, but now I regret we moved. Staff can't get home. We are prisoners on the estate.

"If we had known about these problems, we would have considered staying in the Birmingham area."

Mr Finn said one worker had handed in his notice because of the delays.

The main work, which began in January, is expected to last until 2016-17.

Paul Nagra, project manager for the Highways Agency, said delays in getting off the estate were a "historical" problem.

"It requires something to be done," he said. "The new scheme will relieve a lot of the congestion and improve access off the estate by building an underpass to take traffic away from the Tollbar Island roundabout."

In the short term, he said, he would try to use traffic signals to reduce delays.

"We are doing everything we can do but there will be congestion in the short term," he said.

Warwickshire County councillor Peter Butlin said the council was aware of the delays and was working with the agency to improve the situation.

Coventry MP goes into battle over Tollbar roadworks misery



A Coventry MP has gone into battle on behalf of commuters whose lives have been made a misery by roadworks at the city’s notorious Tollbar Island.

Jim Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry South, wrote to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport after receiving a litany of complaints from his constituents.

The Telegraph reported previously how workers on the industrial estate off Siskin Drive, next to Tollbar Island, claimed the roadworks were extending their journeys by up to two hours each day.

Work to improve Tollbar Island – dubbed “Kamikaze Island” because of its poor safety record – is not due to be finished for three years.

When the Under Secretary, Robert Goodwill MP, failed to respond, Mr Cunningham raised the question in Parliament.

The Coventry MP, spoke up in Business Questions in the House of Commons to ask the Leader of the House for a debate.

He said: “May we have a debate or a statement on the Highways Agency, particularly the way in which it manages temporary road schemes?

“Businesses at Tollbar End in Coventry, where there is a three-year scheme, have been badly affected because people have been held up while going to work in the morning.

“Some businesses have said that if they had known it was going to take this long they might not have invested in Coventry.”

Andrew Lansley responded by saying: “The Transport Ministers will be responding to questions here again next Thursday but, as I wish to be as helpful as I can, I will ask them to respond directly... about this scheme.

“Transport schemes often take much longer than we might imagine they would, but it seems that this one has taken a long time.”

Mr Cunningham later told the Telegraph: “I have asked the Transport Minister to address this situation as a matter of urgency as jobs may be at stake.

“This is not the time for people to be unable to get to work or to trade.

“I very much hope that this situation may be dealt with quickly and hope the Minister will urge the Highways Agency to consider alternatives.”

Since the Telegraph’s original story, the Highways Agency has made some changes to the phasing of some traffic lights on the island.

Commuters have noticed an improvement, but say delays remain a problem.

Tollbar Island: Road works put 'jobs at stake' says MP



Delays caused by road works are putting jobs at stake and hampering investment in Coventry, a city MP has claimed.

The £110m redevelopment of Tollbar Island began in November but businesses say it is causing "lengthy" tailbacks.

Jim Cunningham, Labour MP for Coventry South, said he had raised the issue with Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to see if anything could be done to help the businesses.

The Highways Agency said it was trying to minimise disruption.

Kevin Turner, managing director of Bespoke Distribution Aviation, said: "Our main problem is the lack of communication.

"If we knew the lane closures and temporary traffic lights were coming, we could do something about it, but they just appear overnight and we have to react as and when.

"We are a 24-hour business and we have to meet our customers' demands. We are having to spend more money to get our goods delivered on time.

"It's great to see the road infrastructure being improved but the Highways Agency needs to understand the impact these delays having on business."

Mr Cunningham said: "I am getting lots of complaints from people caught in lengthy hold-ups at the island.

"I have raised it with the Secretary of State for Transport to see if he can have a word with the Highways Agency.

"Jobs are at stake and investment is at stake. We need to see if improvements can be made."

The Highways Agency said it was hoping to finish the work in autumn 2016.

Project manager Paul Nagra said: "If anybody has concerns, they can get in touch with us. We are trying to keep disruption to a minimum but there are always ways to improve things."