It’s clear, following last night’s crunch talks with the Highways Agency, that they can’t or won’t change the positioning of the highly contencious Emergency Refuge Areas (ERAs) reports Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires.

Following a hard and sometimes fractious meeting it became clear that central government thinking was behind the plan for using the hard shoulder on our overcrowded motorway network as it wends its way around Birmingham and surrounding towns. It also exposed the total failure of that “white elephant” the M6 Toll.

The only way to stop this madness would be for the government minister Lord Adonis to change his mind and at this point in time this seems very unlikely.

The Highways Agency are prepared to look at ways  of reducing the impact of their plans and have agreed to draw up options which will be put to residents affected in the next few weeks. These include:-

• Taking action to reduce the visual impact of the ERAs and Gantries
• Renewing and improving the environmental fencing on the northbound carrigeway between Rough Wood and the Staffordshire boundary 
• Improve the running surface on the hard shoulder to reduce noise levels when it is in use
• Replacement trees and shrubs are to be semi mature and a mix of evergreen and deciduous

The dates for consultation with residents are to be announced once the Agency has had time to draw up options based on the above.

“It’s too early to say what our next course of action is to be” said councillor Ian Shires after the meeting. “We  need to talk with the residents affected and look at what options are open to us” he concluded.