Good morning, Great Barr. Welcome to the very first issue of Great Barr Insider. We are cutting through the local Facebook group drama to bring you a quick, 3-minute update on the traffic, crime, and community news that actually matters to B43.
Let’s get into it.
🚧 The Lead: A34 Daytime Lane Closures
If you use the Walsall Road (A34) for your daily commute or school run, prepare for some disruption starting next week.
Birmingham City Council has officially granted permits for major tree-felling and highway improvement works along the route.
The Dates: Monday, 23 March through Friday, 17 April.
The Times: Works will take place between 9:30 AM and 3:30 PM to avoid the worst of the rush hour traffic.
The Impact: Expect daytime lane closures. Alternative pedestrian routes will be provided where footways are blocked.
📸 Council Targets Fly-Tipping with New CCTV
Sandwell Council has announced a major investment into upgrading the borough's CCTV control room and camera networks.
The crackdown is already hitting wallets hard. In just the last 3 months, the council has issued 17 Fixed Penalty Notices, handed out £10,000 in fines, and secured 2 successful prosecutions. With the new digital eyes rolling out, they are hoping to finally deter people from dumping rubbish in our local alleyways.
🏎️ Street Racing Ban Extended to 2027
If you live anywhere near the Scott Arms or the dual carriageways, you know the sound of late-night street racing.
The High Court has officially ruled that the injunction banning street racing across Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton will remain in place until at least 1 March 2027.
What it means: It remains a criminal offence to drive, ride, passenger, or even spectate at a street racing gathering.
How to report it: West Midlands Police are asking residents to submit any dashcam or mobile phone footage of dangerous driving via their "Op Snap" webpage, which currently sees 80% of submissions leading to positive enforcement.
⛽ Editor's Local Fuel Tip
Local petrol prices are fluctuating again. If you need to fill up this weekend, avoid the Shell/Little Waitrose on Chester Road if you can. Head down to the ASDA on Queslett Road instead to save yourself a few quid per litre.
That’s all for this week. If you found this useful, do us a massive favour and forward this email to a neighbour or drop our link in your local WhatsApp group.
See you next Friday, Great Barr Insider
Know someone else in Great Barr who's sick of the A34 traffic? Forward this to them—it might save them 20 minutes on Monday morning.