Express & Star

'It's quicker to walk': Locals fume over heavy Wolverhampton delays

It is ‘quicker to walk’ than queue up in traffic on Merridale Road in Wolverhampton, locals claim, as temporary traffic lights see drivers face heavy delays.

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Works delays – frustration for drivers as traffic queues along Merridale Road in Wolverhampton

The lights have been put in place at the junction of Aspen Way and Gamesfield Green until Sunday, January 28, while Cadent Gas replace a gas main in the area.

James Keatley, who walks along the Merridale Road everyday to get to work, said he was moving quicker than any of the drivers alongside him.

He said: “My advice to anyone driving down the Merridale Road into Wolverhampton City Centre for work is to walk. It’s quicker than queuing through the roadworks. There were queues all the way from Oxbarn Avenue to the bottom of Merridale Road.”

Nightmare

Bus-user Steve Galloway called his trip to work a ‘nightmare’”.

The literature editor said: “I commute from Castlecroft to the city centre daily for work and in the last 12 months or so, the journey has been frequently disrupted by roadworks.

“I use the bus and am having to get the bus half an hour before to guarantee getting to work on time and it’s now a game of roulette as to what time I’ll be home as the cross city route for the number 3 is also affected by delays the other side of the ring road.

“All the incidental works that are also cropping up without notice around the city are making it a misery to do the most basic of tasks. This is a big issue for everyone if you use private or public transport.”

Works delays – frustration for drivers as traffic queues along Merridale Road in Wolverhampton
Works delays – frustration for drivers as traffic queues along Merridale Road in Wolverhampton

He continued: “The works are essential and I understand, but how many times do you go past and see no one working there?

“Surely these works and closures don’t need to be in place for as long as they are. I’m dreading what that route will be like a week on Saturday when Wolves are at home. It’s going to be quicker to I walk the three miles each way to Molineux rather than rely on the bus or car.”

Communications officer for Wolverhampton City Council Danielle Taylor confirmed said the traffic lights were attempting to ease congestion, rather than make it worse.

She said: “The temporary traffic signals are being manually controlled from 7am – 7pm each day to help reduce traffic congestion.

“Traffic information variable message signs within the area are also in use to provide a message regarding the works and to expected delays.”