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Someone has either authorised it at DfT (A. Cretin, Esq - explains why they want to offload this responsibility), or B'ham CC have acted ultra vires...
I've drafted another email which I'm going to send, so we'll see. It does specifically ask whether this number has DfT authorisation.
Don't bother with Birmingham City Council - I've finally had a response from them.
Brummie CC wrote:I can confirm that the road number is correct. The changes to the road classification were authorised by the DfT on 16th December 2002
Therefore Birmingham City Council believe that they have authorisation. Which of course brings up another question - did they actually just ask for authorisation to downgrade to Class II, or did they specifically ask for authorisation to use the B38 number?
I will chase that up with BCC, but does someone fancy chasing DfT?
Steven
Motorway Historian
Founder Member, SABRE ex-Presidents' Corner
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Did they actually say that? the letter quoted upthread simply said they authorised the reclassification, not that they issued the number
Yes, I asked a follow up query as to "whether they [the DfT] specifically authorised the non-standard B38 number, or whether they simply authorised the downgrade with no advice on the new number to be used".
The sentence above (bar "Steven" at the start, and the BCC contact's name at the bottom) was the entire response to the follow-up query.
Steven
Motorway Historian
Founder Member, SABRE ex-Presidents' Corner
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In that case can we rename the A3400 and the B4100 the B34 and B41 respectedly? At this point I dread to think what will happen in the future. Maybe when Leeming Bar to Barton is (eventually) finished the resulting local access road will be called the B1
My enquiry to the DfT specifically asks whether - if they did authorise the number B38 - this represents a change in policy with regard to road numbering, and whether the zonal system in use since 1922 has now been abandoned. It was written with the intention that it should give us a view of whether the DfT is aware that a numbering/zonal system exists.
Given that they don't know that they made Ellesmere Port a primary destination sometime between 1994 and 2009, I doubt they'd know about things done 90 years ago.
"“Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations" Thomas Jefferson
Brummie CC wrote:I can confirm that the road number is correct. The changes to the road classification were authorised by the DfT on 16th December 2002
Seriously?
Given that the bypass in its current form wasn't even on the drawing board in 2002, I'm a bit sceptical!
I can understand the Council being given permission to build a bypass and downgrade the old road to B status prior to the lengthy planning that's taken place. However, surely they didn't think all this up that far in advance!
So, when does the A38(M) become the M38?
"If you expect nothing from somebody you are never disappointed." - Sylvia Plath
Did they actually say that? the letter quoted upthread simply said they authorised the reclassification, not that they issued the number
Yes, I asked a follow up query as to "whether they [the DfT] specifically authorised the non-standard B38 number, or whether they simply authorised the downgrade with no advice on the new number to be used".
The sentence above (bar "Steven" at the start, and the BCC contact's name at the bottom) was the entire response to the follow-up query.
The plot thickens!
I've just had a reply from the DfT - my original message was quite detailed, and the reply is relatively short, but gets right to the bottom of what I was asking.
DfT wrote:Dear Mr Marshall,
You recently wrote to us asking about the status of the 'B38' in Birmingham.
You are quite right that B38 is a non-standard number, and does not match normal practice in road numbering. We are aware of the issue, and are in discussions with the local council to correct this.
SABRE srikes again! Well done, Chris. Can't wait to see it go.
Now, can we raise the A3400, A4600, A4601, B4666/7/8/9, A42, and all the other out-of-zone anomalies?
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Chris5156 wrote:I've just had a reply from the DfT - my original message was quite detailed, and the reply is relatively short, but gets right to the bottom of what I was asking.
DfT wrote:Dear Mr Marshall,
You recently wrote to us asking about the status of the 'B38' in Birmingham.
You are quite right that B38 is a non-standard number, and does not match normal practice in road numbering. We are aware of the issue, and are in discussions with the local council to correct this.
Yours sincerely...
Good news!
Glad to see they're on the case. How lazy is B38 for a number?! I propose something like B4938 - the Wiki implies that number is free.
Bryn Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already. She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
A4601 is now OK, since it was extended south of A5 to meet the new bit of A460 that runs parallel to M6 Toll.
OK, knock that one off then. I don't find myself in the Cannock area very often these days.
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I was going for the fact it seems BCC are wedded to having a 38 in there somewhere, but I'm sure recycling is much greener and more in line with their policies
Bryn Terminally cynical, unimpressed, and nearly Middle Age already. She said life was like a motorway; dull, grey, and long.
Might be a bit too close to the A4123 for comfort.
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