Blackheath Interchange

Overview

Investment from Towns Fund provides an opportunity to help solve problems restricting Blackheath's growth and prosperity, specifically sustainable connectivity.  

In January / February 2023 Sandwell Council consulted traders and residents of Blackheath on proposals to create a bus interchange around Market Place. The scheme forms part of the Council’s Rowley Regis Towns Fund approval.

The consultation process was a rigorous one and the Council received around 400 comments in all. It was immediately clear that opinion on the scheme was sharply divided amongst those who responded. However, there was clearly a significant degree of opposition, particularly from the town’s traders and businesses, to the principle of removing through traffic from the town centre.

The Council has considered the feedback it received and, following discussion with market traders, the Market Manager and shopkeepers, we have revised our proposals to respond to and hopefully overcome these objections.

Please see below the proposed plan (to see a zoomed in version of this plan, please click on the link “Map of the proposal” at the bottom of this page under the “Related” heading).

The main elements of the revised scheme are as follows:

• No restrictions on through traffic using the town centre.
• Eastern side of Market Place closest to Blackheath Market becomes a bus interchange, with three dedicated bus stops, shelters and information point.
• Remaining bus services use stops on Birmingham Road, outside the former Barclays bank.
• Bus stops grouped logically based on places served.
• All traffic diverted around the opposite (western) side of Market Place island, which becomes a two-way road.
• Junction of Market Place, Halesowen Street and High Street redesigned as a T junction.
• New pedestrian crossings installed at various places around Market Place.
• Wherever possible: guardrails, redundant signs and street clutter are removed.
• Narrowest stretches of pavements are widened where safe to do so.
• Extra loading bays provided where possible in Market Place / Long Lane and Park Street West to serve the Market and other shops.
• Bus layby outside Poundland removed; bus stop remains for drop off only.
• Bus stop on Halesowen Street outside Sainsbury’s remains.
• Bus layover bay on Bassano Road is moved to the opposite side of the road.
• New drop off bus stop, provided on Bassano Road next to the layover bay.
• On-street parking retained as far as possible in Market Place / Long Lane.
• Priority given to disabled and very short stay parking.
• Remainder of Market Place island transformed into public space with seats and landscaping.