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| Commuters face St Chad's and Queensway tunnel closure test | Commuters face St Chad's and Queensway tunnel closure test |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Traffic queues are building up as Birmingham commuters test whether there is any fallout from a six-week closure of two of the city major routes. | |
| The St Chad's and Queensway tunnels on the A38 shut on Friday night for repairs. | |
| Monday is the first full working day on which motorists are using alternative routes to and from work. | |
| Earlier, a points problem at Aston meant there were no trains between Birmingham New Street and Walsall. | |
| London Midland said the problem had now been resolved but there would be knock-on delays. | |
| Traffic queues were reported on roads including the Aston Expressway, the A38 in and out of the city centre, Paradise Circus and the Hagley Road. | |
| Birmingham's Chamber of Commerce president has previously warned the closure of the tunnels would cause "chaos". | |
| Steve Brittan, the chamber's president, said he would boycott the city centre while the work was being carried out and urged other drivers to do the same to alleviate congestion problems. | Steve Brittan, the chamber's president, said he would boycott the city centre while the work was being carried out and urged other drivers to do the same to alleviate congestion problems. |
| Along with road diversions, extra measures have been put in place by National Express and Centro to encourage drivers not to come into the city centre. | |
| A 500-space park-and-ride site has been set up at Birmingham City University's Perry Barr campus, extra buses are being put on and three "bike trains" are being set up to allow people to cycle in large groups into the city. | |
| Birmingham City University student Pupul Chatterjee said the park-and-ride site had so far been quiet. | |
| She said it seemed like many people did not know about it. | |
| 'Inconvenience' | 'Inconvenience' |
| Motorist Rob Knowles, who usually drives into the city along the M6 and A38 from Bedworth, Warwickshire, said he would be leaving his home about 30 minutes earlier than usual and using the M42 and A45 instead. | |
| Earlier, he said: "I can see it being an inconvenience though because I imagine lot of other people will be doing the same as me. | |
| "I can understand why they are doing when they are doing, but it remains to be seen what it will be like." | "I can understand why they are doing when they are doing, but it remains to be seen what it will be like." |
| The council said it chose to close the tunnels, which are 40 years old, from 19 July until 2 September because traffic levels were usually up to 20% lighter during the school summer holidays. | The council said it chose to close the tunnels, which are 40 years old, from 19 July until 2 September because traffic levels were usually up to 20% lighter during the school summer holidays. |
| As part of the repairs, nearly 1,000 new lights will be installed and about 21,000 sq m of fire protection will be added to the walls and ceilings. | As part of the repairs, nearly 1,000 new lights will be installed and about 21,000 sq m of fire protection will be added to the walls and ceilings. |
| Amey, which maintains the city's roads and highways, said approximately 75,000 vehicles travel through the tunnels each day. | Amey, which maintains the city's roads and highways, said approximately 75,000 vehicles travel through the tunnels each day. |
| The council and Amey have set up a website giving details of the closures. | The council and Amey have set up a website giving details of the closures. |
| 'Mayhem' fear | 'Mayhem' fear |
| However, Edgbaston councillor Deirdre Alden said on Friday she had found out part of Broad Street would also be shut while the work was carried out. | However, Edgbaston councillor Deirdre Alden said on Friday she had found out part of Broad Street would also be shut while the work was carried out. |
| She said she found that out via a question in a committee meeting - and not through the information released by the council and Amey. | She said she found that out via a question in a committee meeting - and not through the information released by the council and Amey. |
| Ms Alden, a Conservative councillor, said the inbound part of the road between Paradise Circus and the Hyatt Hotel would be shut to cars over the six weeks, although buses and taxis would still be allowed through. | Ms Alden, a Conservative councillor, said the inbound part of the road between Paradise Circus and the Hyatt Hotel would be shut to cars over the six weeks, although buses and taxis would still be allowed through. |
| "It's going to be mayhem in parts of the city centre," she said. | "It's going to be mayhem in parts of the city centre," she said. |
| "I can understand them not wanting Paradise Circus to take any extra traffic, but this is going to make things worse." | "I can understand them not wanting Paradise Circus to take any extra traffic, but this is going to make things worse." |