Plans to improve the quality and flow of information to residents affected by the Highways Agency work to enable the use of the hard shoulder on the M6 between J8 and J10a at peak times were hammered out at a hard-hitting meeting between the Agency and councillors last night reports Liberal Democrat councillor Ian Shires.

Work has already begun to prepare the stretch of the M6 between J8 and J10a. Lanes have been narrowed and cats eyes removed. “This work by necessity has had to be carried out at night and it is this fact that has caused most concerns for local residents” said Ian. “Most people, including councillors, only found out about this work through the local press, this was not acceptable and we have made this point most forcibly to both the Agency and their contractors” he continued.

Councillors have been told that once this preparatory work is complete then contractors will keep night work to an absolute minimum. Other than for emergencies night work would be kept to lifting in place the overhead gantries.

General information will be made available on a regular basis and where specific work is to be carried out those residents directly affect will be informed in advance say the Agency.

Final details of planting and screening will be discussed with those residents directly affected by the Emergency Refuge Areas (ERA’s) councillors were told.

Other issues discussed with the Highways Agency were connected with trying to find ways of avoiding congestion on local roads as motorists try to find alternative routes around the work on the M6.

“Already people have been contacting me reporting an increase in traffic through New Invention and Short Heath. We have demanded that the Agency work closely with residents and the council to keep this disruption to an absolute minimum after all this project is not expected to be completed till the end of the first quarter of 2011″ concluded Ian.