Ah the joy

Sitting in a queue of traffic, damn it's the 1st (my watch telling me it's the 31st) I bet it's these bloody traffic lights. Crawled over the bridge to spot a unpowered pair of lights sitting at the bridge exit and a bloody open-top truck sitting at the top of Bridge Street outside Salford House right on the corner of the island.

So the main flow of traffic has to overtake it, can't see what's coming around the corner from York Street, cars parked in their way slowing them down and of course anyone trying to get out of New Street can't see a bloody thing. Excuse me - parking attendants starting this month?

Forgot to mention the 'civilian' who took it upon herself to help direct traffic at the island; a bunch of bloody workmen standing around doing nothing and it takes a passer-by to do the right thing.

Past the blockage and join the other queue, yes that's right the lights on Worcester Road are still up and and still only about seven or eight car lengths from the island. That feeds back around the island which blocks off Hartlebury Road, and now as an added bonus blocks off anyone turning right from Worcester Road which feeds back into the traffic light system. So the lights are green, but you can't move. Not to mention the whole Gilgal-Vale Road-High Street-Bridge Street-Dunley Road dynamic, which is where the queues start. Wouldn't mind so much if there was anyone working there.

Finally got into work and Pauline mentioned someone stuck in Wilden Lane (links to Hartlebury Road) and how the lorry outside the job centre wasn't there when she came through and she was still snailing it across the bridge, Jim also mentioned that traffic around the island was horrendous over the weekend.

Hey I've a great idea - let's add another set of traffic lights in town.

[Update - I've just been told they've started digging up High Street at the New Street junction; apparently there's about nine guys on site, one on a digger, one on the phone, and the other seven standing there watching them)

On the bridge closures the signs still say 13th - 15th, but the Labour newsletter says 13th-14th; I'm more inclined to believe the newsletter.