A new transport co-ordination centre set up to reduce congestion on the region’s roads will step into action this summer as Birmingham plays host to the Cricket World Cup.
Edgbaston Cricket Ground is set to host 5 international matches in June and July with tens of thousands of fans expected to add to the already congested road network during the morning rush hour.
Transport bosses will be working together through the new Regional Transport Co-ordination Centre (RTCC) to manage journeys and keep people moving.
Bringing together industry experts from rail, bus and Metro, transport bosses will monitor the whole transport system during the Cricket World Cup, including roads, 6am-9pm.
It will mean passengers, residents and businesses will have access to a consistent ‘live’ stream of information and travel advice to help them plan their journeys.
The plan is made possible by a £19.5m pot of funding from the Department of Transport and Transforming Cities Fund, which is set to be approved by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Board on May 24.
The money gives the green light to the first phase of the RTCC which will be in place by December 2019, monitoring roads and public transport 15 hours a day, six days a week with a duty manager available 24/7 and coordinating the entire network’s response to congestion.
It will be the first time the West Midlands will be monitored at such a scale. The trial runs will take place following the closure of the Five Ways underpass on June 3 and during the Cricket World Cup.
Data monitored and collected by the centre will be used to help shape future improvements to the road network by highlighting congestion hotspots.
