This section is no longer in use, please click on the links below to view news and sport from:
New fears for Broad Street
May 17 2003
By Ben Hurst, Evening Mail
Transport officials fear buses will desert Broad Street again because of traffic chaos.
Centro's services director Robert Smith highlighted the concerns after all cars and taxis were allowed back into Birmingham's "golden mile".
The much-criticised traffic ban ended in February amid concerns that businesses were losing £750,000 a day during the ban on Friday and Saturday nights.
On November 24 last year Travel West Midlands diverted services away from Broad Street, sick of not being able to get through on weekend nights due to the gridlock.
Outcry from theatres saying customers were being driven away then led to the council's decision to ban cars and taxis, which has now been rescinded.
Former cabinet member for transportation Coun Stewart Stacey was branded "the Butcher of Broad Street" after the fiasco.
Now Mr Smith will warn West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority in a report on Monday, to note "the potential for a further withdrawal of weekend bus services from Broad Street".
He called on them to: "Request that Birmingham City Council takes steps to reduce the problems at this location."
Theatres were badly hit by the diversion.
Sarah Gee, from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, said: "A lot of people come to concerts who need to use public transport and a considerable number are elderly, who don't want to walk the length of Broad Street to get a bus.
"A lot said they wouldn't have carried on coming if the diversions had continued. We certainly wouldn't want to see it happen again."
Phil Bateman, Travel West Midlands spokesman, said action needed to be taken to solve the problem: "Travel West Midlands supports a sensible restriction on the use of Broad Street in consultation with all the users involved.
"There must be a solution and we shall continue to work with all parties concerned to ensure that one is found."
A spokesman for Birmingham City Council's transportation department said: "We are aware of concerns on Broad Street and are willing to use Broad Street Development Group to continue to discuss the issues with a view to taking action."
