All posts by Macfivenews

Motoring and travel journalist, opinionated gob on a stick
Entertainment, News

Sun shines on Sutton town hall charity fete

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John S White played King Henry VIII at the event. Picture: Claire Taylor

1,000 turn out for Community Heritage event

More than 1,000 people enjoyed brilliant sunshine when they turned out to support a community fete at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall.

The inaugural fete, on 12 September, received a Community Grant from Sutton Coldfield Town Council to help set up the event.

The neighbouring Tudor Community Sports Trust provided activities such as Crown Green Bowling tasters on its recreation area as a linked event.

The fete, opened by the town mayor, Councillor Terry Wood, who said: “I was delighted to be invited to open the Town Hall’s first Community Fete. The weather was kind to us, which helped everyone get into the swing of the event.

“Having so many people turn out to support really does show just what a brilliant community we have here in Sutton Coldfield and one that we are all very lucky to be part of. The organisation of the fete was a great effort from everyone involved and I would like to say a sincere thank you to all the people who helped make it a great success.”

Local community groups and businesses rose to the occasion by adding activities to their stalls such as biscuit decoration, quizzes and messy play. The UP Creative Community ran an interactive craft tent on the theme of the town hall’s forthcoming pantomime Cinderella.

Action from the coconut shy at the town hall.
Picture: Claire Taylor

Sutton Coldfield Litter Action Group generated enough support for 23 more local roads to be adopted for litter picking and visitors were able to study old maps of the area with Folio Sutton Coldfield.

The Town Hall hosted a coconut shy and band stage, and staff member and carpenter Colin Troman created a wooden storytelling stage in the grounds for performances through the day and a pair of stocks.

As part of the national project ‘Heritage Open Days’, the town hall conducted five backstage and heritage tours over the day, which included rare access visits to the roof and the reportedly haunted ‘below stage’.

King Henry VIII, played by performance historian John S White, re-enacted the granting of the town’s charter to the delight of visitors and Andrew Mitchell MP joined him on stage to thank visitors for supporting the event.

The King also helped launch the town hall’s own charity mascot ‘Town Hall Tara’, a £10 fundraising toy based on a real Staffordshire Bull Terrier who was also there to meet and greet visitors through the day.

A live music stage featured local bands, co-ordinated by local musician Job Baker-Sullivan of Ceol Agency and was hosted by presenters Sam Rabone and Lauren Hill.

Motoring, News, Transport

Suzuki makes space with the Swace

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Stunning addition to line-up

By Bill McCarthy

MANY people may be wondering about two new Suzukis appearing on the scene, the size of both bucking the trend of the firm’s small car/offroad reputation.

Both the new Swace and SUV Across are models launched from the Suzuki /Toyota collaborative Business agreement which saw both firms take a stake in each other.

The oddly-named Swace is based on the Toyota Corolla Hybrid Estate with Suzuki signature front design changes, re-badged essentially, but manufactured in the UK with exports to Europe.

It features two models, SZ-T and SZ5 models, both lavishly equipped, and featuring a 1.8 litre petrol engine with 53kW electric motor to deliver excellent economy and low CO2 emissions.

It is a large car which has room for five adults with a spacious interior and loads of stowage space. It also features a comprehensive array of safety kit.

It is striking looking, sleek and muscular with a large honeycomb pattern deep grille, slim headlights, integrated roof rails and eye-catching 19-inch alloy wheels.

The interior too, feels high end and features  quality upholstery with soft touch finish throughout, powered leather seats, multi-function steering wheel and the centrepiece tablet-style touchscreen which controls sound system and connectivity through Apple CarPlay Android Auto and MirrorLink for smartphones, which is vital as it does not feature its own sat nav.

Standard specification is good with the ‘entry’  SZ-T model featuring dural zone automatic air conditioning, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, rear parking camera and radar cruise control.

This tested SZ5 model further adds auto door locking, park assist with parking sensors and wireless phone charging tray.

It has a roomy, executive feel with ambient lighting, soft touch finish offset with chrome and silver accents, with sturdy fixtures and fittings throughout. Another neat touch is the S-Flow air conditioning.

This uses a detection control function to ensure that air conditioning is only provided to occupied seats. It also takes the set temperature, ambient temperature, interior temperature and sunlight into account to maintain optimum cabin comfort. Head and legroom are among the best in class with 

On the road, the petrol/electric combo mated with CVT transmission, works well to deliver excellent economy and low emissions. Performance from the petrol engine and electric motor produces 122PS with economy of around 64mpg. And as this is the kind of vehicle that could appeal to business users, emissions of 99g/km puts it in the 24 per cent bracket for Benefit in Kind taxation purposes.

Acceleration, if you will pardon the pun, is not exactly electric, hitting 60mph in around 11 seconds. The hybrid system selects an electric motor, engine or both depending on driving conditions.

It is also equipped with an EV drive mode function where the vehicle is driven solely by its electric motor with power supplied from the battery. This mode can be used for driving short distances in low emissions zones.

The driver also has two other drive modes: 

NORMAL, as the name suggests, ECO, which helps the driver deliver better fuel economy through more gradual throttle response and minimal air-conditioning use. This mode is useful during stop-and-go city driving.   

SPORT boosts acceleration, and sharpens acceleration and handling.

The car does sit low to the road with consequently benefits handling characteristics, and is designed to reduce body roll around corners, improving stability and contributing to a smoother ride.

Stowage space is excellent with 596-litres available, while the rear carpeted floorboard can be placed in a lower position to store taller objects and is also reversible with a resin backside that can be used for stowing wet or dirty items.

Space is further increased using the remote lever to fold down the second row of seats for a flat floor and maximum stowage capacity of 1,606 litres.

There are other convenient oddment spaces and cup holders throughout the cabin.

It is packed with hi-tech stuff including intelligent parking on this test model. Fitted as standard on the SZ5 model, S-IPA assists the driver when reversing into a parking space, parallel parking, or departing from a parallel parking space, by providing audio and visual guidance while automatically operating the steering wheel. The system uses ultrasonic wave sensors for sensing and allows accurate parking even in narrow spaces.

Other safety measures include Pre-Collision System which detects  other vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists; Lane Tracing Assist which adjusts the steering if it veers off on a marked road; traffic sign recognition, blind spot monitor and rear crossing traffic alert.

Factfile 

Suzuki Swace 1.8 Hybrid SZ5

Price: £29,299

Mechanical: Combined 122PS, 1798cc, four cylinder petrol engine and 53 kW electric motor driving front wheels via CVT gearbox

Max speed: 112 mph 

0-62mph: 11.1 secs 

Combined mpg: 64.2 (WlTP)

Insurance group: 17E  

CO2 emissions: 99 g/km 

Warranty: 3yrs/60,000 miles

Motoring, Transport

In the lap of luxury with Bentley

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Continental remains an icon of British motoring

By Bill McCarthy

There is no doubt that the Continental convertible is breathtaking. Breathtaking in looks, breathtaking in performance and, breathtaking in price.

Paying well north of £180k for a car takes it beyond the means of the majority, but if you can afford it, it is a hugely desirable grand tourer that remains a British icon

If a car can be described as beautiful, then this Bentley both with the roof up or open car, fits that description – a compelling combination of elegance and power.

It never failed to get admiring looks, and comments on the stunning green colour of this particular model.

Bentley is German owned, VW in fact, but the hand-built features are a tribute to the master craftsmanship of British expertise at their factory in Crewe.

‘On the road, the car is a superb drive and brutally powerful‘

Now in its third generation the GT features a tailored roof that can be deployed or stowed in just 19 seconds, with the car travelling at speeds of up to 30 mph (50 km/h).

We love our convertibles in the UK but the weather doesn’t always play ball. But the Continental makes the wind in the hair experience throughly enjoyable. A discreet neckwarmer is integrated into the front seats, together with a heated steering wheel and heated armrests.

It looks sensational, with a low slung predatory look, featuring muscular haunches, swooping bonnet and the latest LED cut-crystal effect matrix headlamps. Sitting on 21 and 22-inch wheels it looks a powerhouse – and it is, with a four litre twin-turbo V8 engine on this model propelling the car to 60mph in four seconds. 

The interior is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and opulence, almost decadence. Just like its sibling the Flying Spur, it is a riot of handcrafted wood and leather of choice and chrome, together with jewellery-inspired diamond knurled finish switchgear and classy analogue style clock.

This model added the optional Mulliner Driving Specification which includes three-dimensional diamond quilted leather to seats, door casing and rear quarter panels, sports pedals and jewelled fuel and oil filler cap and embroidered Bentley emblems.

On the road, the car is a superb drive and brutally powerful. The 542bhp V8, mated with a seamless eight-speed transmission, delivers incredible acceleration, with the throaty roar of the V8 through the quadruple exhausts adding to the enjoyment, especially with the roof down.

It goes on to a theoretical 198mph, nearly three times above the legal speed limit in the UK. All the power is all well and good, but it needs to be kept in a straight line and that is where the intelligent four wheel drive kicks in, delivering traction where required.

There are four driving modes that adjust engine, suspension and gearbox settings, which, given the enormous power in ‘normal’ mode, seems fairly superfluous.

Listing all the features would fill a book, but tin addition to a host of bells and whistles, the centrepiece is a 12.3-inch central touchscreen system including HDD-navigation, two SD card slots, Bluetooth and WiFi streaming, a CD/DVD slot and digital radio. 

Also included is Apple CarPlay, Sirius satellite radio, 60GB solid-state hard drive and 4G telephone system. 

Hugely aspirational

Like other German car makers, Bentley provides plenty of options with the rotating display, a particularly clever piece of kit. It switches between touchscreen, three analogue gauges (compass, chronometer and outside temperature) and unbroken veneer.

But boot space is also surprisingly good, even with the roof stowed in the rear, with 235 litres, enough for a couple of small cases.

Safety is vital with such a powerful car and the  kit, some optional, features huge brake callipers, stability and traction control, a full complement of airbags and features including Active Lane Assist, Traffic Jam Assist and Park Assist with 360 degree all round cameras, infra-red camera, and head-up display.

Hugely aspirational, but practical and British built. What’s not to like?

FAST FACTS

Bentley Continental GT Convertible

Price: £182,800

Mechanical: 546bhp, 3,996cc, V8 petrol engine driving all wheels via 8-speed auto gearbox

Max speed: 198mph

0-60mph: 4 seconds

Combined mpg: 22.6

CO2 emissions: 284g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/unlimited miles

News

Claire takes the plunge for charity

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Claire Barton takes part in the St Giles Hospice abseil down the side of the Custard Factory

Fundraisers in abseil challenge for St Giles Hospice

Adventurers with a head for heights can enjoy a bird’s eye view of Birmingham as they raise money for St Giles Hospice on an abseil challenge next month.

Fundraisers will be descending more than 100ft down the seven-story Green Man Wall on the Custard Factory building in Digbeth on Saturday, 9th October.

Next month’s event will be the second St Giles Hospice abseil at the Custard Factory, following the successful launch of the charity challenge in November 2019. 

After a year when the hospice’s fundraising events had to be cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s abseil will go ahead in accordance with current Government guidelines.

Claire Barton, 47, from Lichfield, took part in the 2019 St Giles abseil fundraiser while her father David ‘Chas’ Chandler was receiving end of life care at the hospice.

Musician Chas had been supported at home for six months by the St Giles community nurse team after being diagnosed with a brain tumour, before being admitted to the hospice in his final days.

Claire said: “I’m absolutely terrified of heights but when I was standing there at the top I thought: ‘I’m so scared, but I’m doing this for my Dad.’

“My husband took a photo and we sent it to my Dad, and my Mum sent a photo back of my Dad doing a thumbs-up when she told him I’d done it. Even now, I feel so happy that I did it and could tell my Dad about it, rather than waiting until later when he had passed away. We were able to raise nearly £1,500 for St Giles.

Claire with mum Sue, sister Melanie and Chas and right, Chas with his guitar

“I never dreamed that our family would need St Giles, but we would never have made it through Dad’s illness without them and I want it to stay there for the people who are going to need it in the future.”

Chloe Herbert, Head of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: “We’re thrilled to be running our abseil challenge again and we’d like to invite intrepid supporters to join us to turn the Green Man Wall orange as we descend one of the tallest buildings in Birmingham. You don’t need any training or special skills – just bring your bravery!

“You’ll enjoy unique views of Selfridges, the Bullring and the Birmingham skyline and your fundraising will make a big difference to local people, and their families, living with a terminal illness.

“Invite your friends and family along to take part or to cheer you on and you can all join in the celebrations afterwards. Not only will this adrenaline-fueled charity challenge take you to new heights for St Giles, but local businesses will be offering a range of different discounts to our brave participants to make your day extra special.”

Entry to the event is £25, with a minimum sponsorship target of £75. The Green Man Wall is a short 13-minute walk from Birmingham New Street train station and 11 minutes from Birmingham Moor Street and there are two car parks nearby.

For further information visit www.stgileshospice.com/abseil contact the fundraising team on 01543 432538, or email fundraising@stgileshospice.com.

Business, Lifestyle, News

New Sutton micropub a real family affair

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The McDiarmid family outside one of their other pubs. The Ale Hub is expected to open before Christmas

A new micropub opening in Sutton Coldfield is a real family affair with the owners saying they want it to have a community feel and employ local people.

The McDiarmid family will open their fourth Ale Hub in Mere Green, at the former premises of Garner Canning Solicitors on Hill Village Road.

The former solicitor’s office on Hill Village Road

The new mini boozer will offer traditional ales for drinkers, together with a selection of gins, other drinks and bar snacks and provide a relaxed environment for customers.

It will be open from midday to 11pm seven days a week.

The family will spend around £50,000 converting the offices into a new real ale mini boozer, with a capacity of around 12 tables. There will be background music, but no electronic machines, with the emphasis on conversation and socialising with few distractions.

It is anticipated that work will start sometime in October and the conversion should be complete towards the end of the year and almost certainly by Christmas.

It should be good timing as the long-awaited transformation of Mere Green and Mulberry Walk in particular, and will add more variation to the already vibrant food and drink scene.

It will be their fourth pub to open during the pandemic, a tribute to their business acumen and determination in difficult circumstances.

The family, who are based in the Solihull area, also run a web-based logistics company.

They said they have a love of real ale and became disillusioned over the quality of real ales being offered at larger chains, where the main emphasis is on food, rather than the quality of the drinks.

Parents Neil and Sue McDiarmid, together with sons Campbell, Connor and daughter Brodie decided to have a go themselves and opened micropubs in Dickens Heath and Shirley with another due to open in Worcester. The say they pride themselves on the Ale Hub being a family-run business.

Their aim is to help to revitalise the local pub scene and provide the community with a choice of refreshing and well-kept drinks in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Campbell explained how the family became involved: “My mum and dad are real ale lovers and they struggled to find somewhere to go to cater for their needs. They saw that ales were generally poorly kept and saw a gap in the market for a local community feel pubs that offer cask ale, craft beers but doesn’t concentrate on the food side.

These images from the other McDiarmid pubs show how the venue in Mere Green might look when it opens

“We chose Mere Green when we were told it would be suitable for the clientele we were aiming for. We looked for about three months and then this venue came up and we went for it.”

“We will employ a local manager with around four part-time staff, who will also be local.”

Campbell added that the quality of the ales was paramount. “We have strict procedures in place,” he said. “There are protocols in every one of our bars to ensure quality.”

The tiny new pub, sandwiched between a general store and a barbers shop, will offer another option for tipplers in the area, offering a range of traditional real ales together with various gins and other drinks.

The plan approved by Birmingham City Council shows the ground floor will have a bar area, cellar and around a dozen tables, with toilet facilities on the first floor.

In a statement to Birmingham City Council planning department, The Ale Hub said: “We are looking to operate a micropub out of the premises which will have a focus on being a pleasant friendly space for the local community.”

Motoring, Transport

Highlander makes its mark in UK

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Toyota Highlander

By Bill McCarthy

The Highlander has certainly taken its time to land in this country. The big seven-seater SUV has been on sale in other parts of the world for 21 years, but it has now joined  the RAV4, C-HR and the new Yaris Cross to complete the Toyota European SUV line-up. Not forgetting, of course, the full-fat off-road Land Cruiser.

 The all wheel drive model now on sale in the UK is the  fourth generation and its full hybrid self-charging system provides up to 80 per cent emissions-free driving. 

There are just two versions Excel and Excel Premium and both provide triple-zone air conditioning, Skyview panoramic roof, LED headlights, wireless phone charging, heated front seats and 11-speaker JBL sound system. Premium adds  hands-free tailgate operation, head-up display and digital rear-view mirror, plus a host of other driver aids, bells and whistles.

The powertrain is mated with CVT transmission and high levels of torque gives a two-tonne towing capacity. The 245bhp/182kW hybrid combination delivers fuel economy of around 40mpg, which is pretty impressive for such a big vehicle.

It is  more than capable off-road, but it offers so much more and is more likely to be seen at the school gates than the Amazon rainforest.  It offers the longest load space in its class and up to 1,909 litres of boot capacity.

The rear seats slide backwards and forwards and with the rearmost two seats folded into the floor a huge amount of space can be opened up.

With the rearmost pair of seats in situ, it can accommodate adults but is probably more suitable for children. When all seven seats are in place, this provides 332 litres of storage, including 27 litres beneath the floor.

It certainly has striking looks, sitting high off the ground and with wide grille, slim light clusters and flared wheel arches encasing the alloy wheels.

The interior itself has an executive feel with leather seating, satin and woodgrain finish and soft touch materials to the door and dashboard, while instrumentation is logical and sensibly laid out.

The central point is the eight-inch multimedia touchscreen which controls major functions like navigation and infotainment and can mirror your smartphone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, while the seven inch TFT screen provides instant driver information.

On the road, the powertrain delivers smooth and swift acceleration. It can hit 60mph in just over eight seconds and can cruise on electric power only at speeds approaching 80mph.

There are four drive modes, Eco, Normal, Sport and Trail. The final mode acts like a limited-slip differential but uses braking to help send power from the slipping wheel to the wheel with traction, between the left and right sides of the vehicle. 

All four modes can still be used when the vehicle is operating in its separately selectable EV all-electric mode. In addition the intelligent all wheel drive system delivers extra stability in slippery or rough conditions. 

The Toyota Safety Sense active safety and driver assistance include a Pre-Collision System that can detect pedestrians by day and night and cyclists during daytime driving, with Emergency Steering Assist and Intersection Turn Assistance.

On-the-road prices are £50,595 for the Highlander Excel and £52,575 for the Excel Premium. Both are protected by Toyota’s five-year/100,000-mile new vehicle warranty.

Factfile

Toyota Highlander Excel

Price: £50,595

Mechanical: 245bhp, 2487cc, 4-cylinder, petrol engine and two electric motors driving all wheels via CVT transmission

Max Speed: 112mph

0-62mph: 8.5 seconds

Combined MPG: 282

Insurance Group: 40

C02 emissions: 162g/km

Warranty: 5yrs/100,000 miles

News

Sutton micropub cheer for real ale drinkers

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Real ale lovers will soon be in for a treat when a new micropub opens in Sutton Coldfield.

The Ale Hub will open in Mere Green, based at the former premises of Garner Canning Solicitors on Hill Village Road. It will be open from midday to 11pm seven days a week.

The tiny new pub, sandwiched between a general store and an barbers shop, will offer another option for tipplers in the area, offering a range of traditional real ales together with various gins and other drinks.

It will add more variation to the already vibrant food and drink scene in Mere Green.

The firm already runs micropub in Dickens Heath, Shirley and Worcester and says it prides itself on being a family-run business.

It says its goal is to revitalise the local pub scene and provide the community with a choice of refreshing and well-kept beverages in a relaxed and friendly environment.

Birmingham City Council has approved the planning application submitted by the company with various conditions attached.

A plan submitted to the council shows the ground floor will have a bar area, cellar and around a dozen tables, with toilet facilities on the first floor.

There will be no TVs, electronic games or food, apart from bar snacks like crisps and nuts and the firm says it will concentrate on making the premises customer friendly. There will be one full-time manager with three other part time staff.

In a statement to Birmingham City Council planning department, The Ale Hub said: “We are looking to operate a micropub out of the premises which will have a focus on being a pleasant friendly space for the local community.

“There will be no TVs or loud music as it is a traditional micropub that is focused on listening to its customers, mainly serving cask and craft ales, promoting conversation and shunning all forms of electronic entertainment. We will also offer a range of gins as well as other drinks.

We will not serve meals, only pub snacks such as crisps and nuts

“We will look to recruit locally which will remove the need for our staff to require parking spaces as the majority of our staff at our other micropubs live within walking distance.”

Entertainment, Lifestyle

Triple helping of laughter at town hall

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Comedy fans in Sutton Coldfield are in for a triple treat when a trio of comedians take the stage at the town hall. Rosie jones, Justin Moorehouse and Mrs Barbara Nice will present a night of comedy at the town venue on Thursday, November 18.

Rosie, currently appearing on the Last Leg Paralympics show, has quickly become a must-see act on the UK comedy circuit.
The ex-television researcher was awarded second place in the Leicester Mercury’s New Comedian Of The Year Award 2018 and has gone on to star on Live At The Apollo, The Jonathan Ross Show, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown.

She is also a regular on The Last Leg.

Justin has appeared on Live At The Apollo, Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights.
Justin brought back tiger-faced Young Kenny for the record-breaking run of Phoenix Nights Live at The Manchester Arena, which raised over £5 million for comic relief; told fantastic tales about Australia and Manchester on Live At The Apollo.

He won The Champion of Champions on BBC 5Live’s Fighting Talk; and appeared as Dean the rival cricketing landlord on Coronation Street. All this as well as helming his own critically acclaimed podcast About 30 Minutes, No More Than 45.

Mrs Barbara Nice was created by award-winning comedian and theatre director Janice Connolly, Barbara Nice is the overenthusiastic housewife alter-ego of Birmingham-based performer Janice, who previously appeared in Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights, and is well known on the circuit for her lively, upbeat presence.

Barbara performs playful, life-affirming shows for all the family. With the affectionate attitude of a playgroup leader at a wild Iggy Pop concert, she is guaranteed to warm the heart of any audience, say the organisers.

The show is hosted by Wayne Beese and is for over-16s only.
Tickets are still available and cost from £15-£18. The doors and bar open at 7pm, with the show starting at approximately 8pm

* Line-up may be subject to change, top quality comedy show always guaranteed

Lifestyle, News, Transport

New bikes clocking up the miles in Sutton

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West Midlands Mayor Andy Street at the launch of the bike scheme earlier this year at Town Gate

They may not be to everyone’s taste, but the ubiquitous West Midlands Cycle Hire Scheme, launched earlier this year in Sutton Coldfield by West Midlands Mayor Andry Street, is claimed to be a big success by the town council.

More and more of the green bikes have appeared around the town, including at Four Oaks station and Good Hope hospital as the Midlands wide scheme gathers pace.

The scheme, which is generally welcomed as a boost to fitness and wellbeing, has faced some criticism over the cost with an hour’s ride costing £4.

But Sutton’s council, which is working in partnership with WMCH, says the scheme is very popular with residents and visitors alike, with around 25,000 km – over 15,500 miles – already clocked up.

There arena 50 West Midlands Cycle Hire bikes available in Sutton Coldfield located at seven conveniently placed docking stations:

The bikes can be unlocked and docked at any of the stations and can be used for fun, for example a leisurely ride around Sutton Park, or for commuting.

Users do not need to begin and end at the same docking station; they can begin at one and cycle to another, providing of course there is room at that docking station. There have been reports of bikes being abandoned at various docking stations in Birmingham city centre.

To unlock and hire the bikes, users will need to download the Beryl cycle hire app and register for an account through the Play Store (Android) or App Store (Apple).

Leader of Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council, Councillor Simon Ward, said: “It has been fantastic to see the enthusiasm for the West Midlands Cycle Hire scheme, delivered by the Town Council alongside WMCA, grow in Sutton Coldfield with many residents and visitors now using the bikes to enjoy our wonderful Royal town.

“Sutton Park Banners Gate already sits within the 10 most popular destinations to hire a bike across the West Midlands. Since March 2021, over 5,000 journeys have been made with over 3,000 being regular and repeat users. There is real appetite among new riders with over 800 in April alone.

“The bikes have enabled residents to enjoy time outdoors and experience the joy of cycling evidenced by an average journey time of 60 minutes. We are so fortunate to have our fantastic park and the bikes provide yet another way to enjoy it in all its glory. The Town Council pledged to put in place a public cycle hire scheme in its early years, and we are delighted to have delivered on this promise.”

Whatever the journey, the West Midlands Cycle Hire bikes in Sutton Coldfield provide a safe, efficient and a practical way to enjoy our town.”

The bike docking stations can be found at:

1. Sutton Park Banners Gate
2. Wyndley Leisure Centre
3. Stonehouse Road (Boldmere Gate Entrance to Sutton Park)
4. The Parade in the Town Centre
5. Four Oaks Train Station
6. Boddington Gardens
7. Good Hope Hospital Rectory Road Entrance

Prices

 It costs £1 to unlock a bike and then 5p per minute. Here are some ride cost examples:

10 mins20 mins30 mins
£1.50£2.00£2.50

To find out more and register for updates visit the website at https://www.wmcyclehire.co.uk/.

News

Sutton traffic mayhem continues

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Comment

Sutton Coldfield, it seems, is surrounded by a ring of steel. Steel barriers and traffic lights that is. It was bad enough in May, when we were still under lockdown restrictions, but the mayhem just goes on.

There has been not let up and it has got even worse, farcical in some areas, as the school summer holidays seemed to be a a trigger for even more diggers.

Easing lockdown has meant more people are back at work which in turn means more and more people are on the road.

From Maney Corner /Birmingham Road roadworks through to resurfacing pavements on Lichfield Road and work on the island at London Road there has been traffic chaos for months.

There were more traffic lights at Mere Green while the Lidl supermarket was being completed and resurfacing still onongoing at Slade Road, Four Oaks on the way to Bassetts Pole. That seems to have been going on forever.

To make matters worse, both Anchorage Road was closed off for resurfacing at the same time as work started on the corner of Little Sutton Lane causing with a three-way lights system, causing mayhem on routes into and out of the town centre.

This was in addition to a one way system past the police and fire stations being in place between rush hour periods for resurfacing.

 To compound this a three-way set of traffic lights at the junction of Hollyfield Road and Reddicap was causing severe tailbacks, with all of these routes potentially affecting emergency services from Good Hope Hospital.

It is to be hoped that planners can get their act together as this is exactly the kind of chaos that hits business hard, just as they are starting to recover from the Covid lockdown.

Let’s not forget either the potential for more chaos when work on the giant Peddimore estate gets under way.