A PETITION has been launched calling on Solihull council to reject plans to build a motorway services near Shirley.
Coun Ken Hawkins, (Cons, Blythe) set up the campaign in a bid to bring plans to a halt over fears of more congestion.
He said the decision date for the M42 junction is moving closer.
He says Highways England in August held off any determination of the application by Solihull council for just three months, and developers are seeking a decision this month.
The council says it won’t go to its planning committee until next year, and the service stations planned for Catherine de Barnes and junction 4 have to be simultaneously considered and at the moment the Council is not in a position to do this.
Applegreen plc handed plans to the council in 2016 seeking permission to create an ‘environmentally responsible’ motorway services with a new building and extensive landscaping.
The plans also include improvements to local roads, including the junction between the A3400 and Gate Lane.
Coun Hawkins said: “This is not about nimbyism. I and fellow ward councillors have supported major residential and commercial development nearby and we must protect that investment and not harm that because 75 per cent of all vehicle movements will have to negotiate the already heavily used roundabout that serves the M42, A34 Stratford Road and Blythe Valley Park.
“I believe this will be extremely damaging for the quality of life of residents in the developed communities nearby and also threaten the commercial investment at nearby Blythe Valley and Fore Business Parks.”
Coun Hawkins is supported by fellow ward Coun James Butler (Cons) and Shirley East Coun Mark Parker (Cons).
The online petition, which was set up on Sunday (October 28), has more than 650 signatures.
Coun Butler said: “The congestion expected from a service station on land off Gate Lane would be terrible and affect nearby residents who use the motorway junction to commute to work and nearby schools.”
Coun Parker has concerns about more vehicles coming off the motorway at junction 4 because of the presence of the service station.
In planning documents Applegreen plc said it had “undertaken detailed traffic modelling of local junctions and this demonstrates that no significant congestion would occur.”
It claims its traffic modelling shows changes to Gate Lane will not create congestion.
For more or to sign the petition visit www.change.org/p/solihull-metropolitan-borough-council-stop-motorway-service-area-at-junction-4-m42
