Selly Oak Bypass

Stellar Forces · **Posted:** Mon Aug 29, 2011 15:41

Living near Harborne, I've actually found the new road pretty useful, as it makes for an easier route into the city than dealing with Calthorpe Road/Five Ways at rush hour, and I can stay on the A38 to get out of the city. But I agree, the road seems completely pointless for any route not involving A38(S)-A4040(NW) or A4040(SE)-A38(N). Obviously it serves the hospital too, but for anything other than these there's that awful right turn at Selly Oak Triangle.

Truvelo · **Posted:** Mon Aug 29, 2011 15:55

I assume the southern end of the bypass doesn't flow directly onto the A38 because it would involve large scale demolition of the area around Frederick Road. A better option would have been online dualling and demolish the buildings on one side of the road through Bournbrook. They're only scruffy old terraced shops that are well past their prime.

Stellar Forces · **Posted:** Mon Aug 29, 2011 16:08

Truvelo wrote:

I assume the southern end of the bypass doesn't flow directly onto the A38 because it would involve large scale demolition of the area around Frederick Road. A better option would have been online dualling and demolish the buildings on one side of the road through Bournbrook. They're only scruffy old terraced shops that are well past their prime.

I have to admit though I have a bit of a soft spot for those terraces in Bournbrook as I lived there when I was at the University. I would have thought something like the Northfield bypass would have worked, though as you say that would have caused issues too.

dvboy · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2011 01:00

Isn't the Sainsburys going to get knocked down and rebuilt to allow some remodelling of the southern junction?

Big L · **Posted:** Tue Aug 30, 2011 19:29

dvboy wrote:

Isn't the Sainsburys going to get knocked down and rebuilt to allow some remodelling of the southern junction?

I had a drive along earlier today. There are signs for a supermarket part way along, pointing at an area of wasteland. I was wondering if Sainsbury's was going to move.

wyatt · **Joined:** Fri Jul 23, 2010 16:40 **Posts:** 2

This site has recently popped up in searches:

http://www.sellyoak-regeneration.co.uk/

Interesting is the site plan which shows a map of the possible plans. Note the additional exit/entrance to the roundabout at (1) which I find impossible to fit with the way the roundabout is built!

Chris Bertram · **Posted:** Mon Sep 26, 2011 17:00

Big L wrote:

dvboy wrote:

Isn't the Sainsburys going to get knocked down and rebuilt to allow some remodelling of the southern junction?

I had a drive along earlier today. There are signs for a supermarket part way along, pointing at an area of wasteland. I was wondering if Sainsbury's was going to move.

That is indeed the plan. That Sainsbury's, which was brand spanking new in 1987 now looks way too small, and the site it's on allows no room for expansion, not to mention the problems with access from the gyratory around it.

wrinkly · **Posted:** Fri Oct 14, 2011 18:22

Press release

Glom · **Posted:** Fri Oct 14, 2011 19:05

It's called the Aston Webb Boulevard. Ah that takes me back!

Is it really a boulevard though?

vlad · **Posted:** Fri Oct 14, 2011 19:52

Glom wrote:

It's called the Aston Webb Boulevard. Ah that takes me back!

Is it really a boulevard though?

If this is, anything can be!

Steven · **Posted:** Sat Oct 15, 2011 19:07

Chris5156 wrote:

I've just sent an email to Birmingham City Council asking about this. Let's see what they say.

I wrote:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am writing to enquire about new signs that have been erected at Selly Oak in connection with the new road that is due to open shortly. They appear to refer to the old road trough the town centre as the "B38".

Please could you confirm whether this is to be the new classification for the part of Bristol Road that has been bypassed, and if so, whether special authorisation has been granted by the Department for Transport for this highly unusual number?

Downgrading the bypassed section of road to Class II is perfectly normal practice, of course, but the choice of number is highly surprising as it would be the only two-digit B-road number in Great Britain and would be out of zone according to numbering rules. In the normal course of things a B-road in this location should have three or four digits to its number and the first digit should be 4.

One would also think that giving the old road exactly the same number as the new (aside from the letter prefix) would provide grounds for confusion and may encourage some motorists to continue through the town rather than taking the new bypass around it.

I'd be grateful for any clarification you can offer on this matter.

Regards,

Chris Marshall
http://www.cbrd.co.uk/

Has anyone got an answer yet as to the stupid "B38" number for the old road?

Halstead · **Posted:** Sat Oct 15, 2011 22:07

vlad wrote:

Glom wrote:

It's called the Aston Webb Boulevard. Ah that takes me back!

Is it really a boulevard though?

If this is, anything can be!

Perhaps a polar opposite to your example.

JamesA44 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 10:51

At the roundabout half way along the new road (by the new bridges) the signs say "Selly Oak A38 (B38)" so it seems we do indeed have the only 2-digit B-road in the country.

mapboy · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:13

What is really odd is that from the southbound the A38 is signed along the old route but if you turn left down the 'A4040' signs for the new A38 then appear. However from the north it is signed as you would expect, apart from the oddly numbered B38!

S Parkinson · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 23:49

Here's the plan for the final stage of the 'Selly Oak New Road'. I suspect only then will the existing signage city bound be changed to show A38 as turning left at Harborne Lane. This final stage of the bypass will only commence when the existing Sainsburys is demolished which in turn will only happen when the new Sainsburys has been built.

I agree that the current signage arrangement is poor in that the two directions of A38 traffic are signed so as to cross each other twice. Maybe the use of temporary signage (along with some greying out of existing signs) should be considered?

Haydn1971 · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 23:59

Oh dear... Another developer led crap roundabout design !!! How often do we see three lane approaches onto circulatory carriageways just wide enough for two lanes ! Makes me bloody cross !

Chris5156 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 19:33

I've had no joy from Brum Council about the B38 number. Has anyone else?

dvboy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 06, 2011 22:39

Chris5156 wrote:

I've had no joy from Brum Council about the B38 number. Has anyone else?

Any news? Did you follow up your letter with another?

Bryn666 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 13:11

FOI it if they don't answer.

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...

Chris5156 · **Posted:** Wed Dec 07, 2011 14:33

Bryn666 wrote:

FOI it if they don't answer.

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.

Selly Oak Bypass

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