The following notes are from a series of presentations given to Birmingham businesses and other interested parties to explain the measures which will keep disruption to a minimum during the construction of a new tram line through the city centre from Snow Hill to Five Ways.

These are the principles which were explained during the public inquiry into the project, leading to Government approval being given in June 2005.

Secretary of State Alistair Darling noted that the route runs along several prime retail streets in the city centre and past a number of important business premises – but was satisfied that Centro’s proposed construction method would reduce disruption to a minimum and that the city centre would remain open for business throughout.

General principles

• Construction programme planned in partnership with highway authority
  
• Code of Construction Practice to minimise impact of work.  This Code has been approved by the Government.
  
• Any changes in traffic management and temporary diversions will be kept to a minimum.  So if you have to use a certain route to get in to Birmingham on a Tuesday, it won’t have changed when you come in again on Thursday.
  
• Access to frontages will be maintained throughout the construction period.
  
• Street works will be suspended around Christmas – i.e. from end October to the first week of January.  Some big city centre stores can take around 60 per cent of their annual turnover during this period.
  
• There will be constant communications with all people and businesses affected by the works – using a variety of media and forums.  A Construction Steering Group will involve local councillors an there will be public meetings with local groups covering smaller areas such as Broad Street traders and the city centre partnership.  These groups could influence the work programme for a given area – for example choose between construction over a series of weekends or concentrate the work over a shorter period.
  
• A dedicated team will communicate all works in advance – and will always be on hand to react to any problems and deal with them quickly.

Service diversions

The first work could start in Summer 2006 with advance diversion of services.

This is done, for example, so that once the trams are running there can still be access to a gas main for maintenance or repair without the need to dig up the tram track.  Often this will mean moving pipes and cables from under the road to under the pavement.  In some cases, services will actually be re-routed down parallel streets to the tram route.

By carrying out service diversions in advance, the length of the main contract is reduced.  It also provides more certainty over costs, saving public money, and allows better control of the main contract to help minimise disruption at that time.

Main structures

Two new bridges would be built to carry the Midland Metro extension over the A38 Queensway.

In both cases, the main road will only be closed for a few nights or weekends – just as currently happens for maintenance work on the Queensway road tunnels.  To build a bridge typically requires a weekend type closure to put the new span in place and then another short closure to remove the scaffolding.  The remainder of the time bridge-building work can go on while the traffic continues to flow underneath.

Great Charles Street Queensway: a new bridge is needed over the southbound carriageway slip road.  This will take six months, but with minimal road closures.

Suffolk Street Queensway: a new bridge will span the A38 and the slip roads from Paradise Circus will need to be relocated.  (see picture above) The slip roads are widened first, then foundations sunk for the new bridge before the new span is put in place.  The work will take seven months, but again with minimal road closures.

Construction of street running tramway

At no time will there be a building site covering the entire length of the proposed route. The maximum period of disruption for any stretch of road will be six months – and in fact a new method of construction may be able to reduce this track laying time by about 30 per cent.

Work is done in sort 100m sections on half the width of the road, so that vehicular access can continue.

Temporary fencing around the works will be see-through.  This is less intrusive and maintains visibility for the shop windows of retail premises.  It also makes it easier for pedestrians to see their way around the works.

Corporation Street

Pedestrian access to shops will be maintained.

Bus services will be re-routed to the bus mall before Metro construction work starts and access for service traffic will continue.

Total construction period, including new pavement finishes and the tram stop, would be about 13 months – but no works during Christmas period.

Broad Street

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

Track will be laid over half the road at a time in approximately 100m stretches.  Vehicular access would be one way between Sheepcote Street and Paradise Circus.  Diversions will be put in place as happens at the moment when Broad Street is closed for major events.

Total construction time, including new pavement finishes and tram stops, would be about 12 months.