Villa Park Redevelopment

[Percy McCarthy]

We're fcuked if we are relying on Birmingham City council to deliver anything.  They an utter waste of space from top to bottom.

Our local politicians are annoyingly crap, particularly when, like me, you’ve just got back from the UoB and seen what can be achieved. Oh for another Joe Chamberlain. Dick Knowles and Albert Bore I liked.

Is that prick Stewart Stacey still knocking about?

[pauliewalnuts]

Is Chris Heck gonna kick some arse with this?

Absolutely.

He's CCO of an organisation that has 30,000 people literally asking to give them at least 500 quid a year. That's a lot of untapped revenue in that.

[Ducksworthy]

We're fcuked if we are relying on Birmingham City council to deliver anything.  They an utter waste of space from top to bottom.

Our local politicians are annoyingly crap, particularly when, like me, you’ve just got back from the UoB and seen what can be achieved. Oh for another Joe Chamberlain. Dick Knowles and Albert Bore I liked.

Is that prick Stewart Stacey still knocking about?

My granddad took Albert Bore leaving worse than Mad Nad took Johnson going.

[Risso]

We don't own the station, or the roads around Villa Park. Any improvements to that infrastructure will be a benefit to the local residents as well. Imagine living in one of the side streets and wanting to go anywhere by car for 90 minutes after a Villa game finishes.

[astonvilla82]

 : Different with the commonwealth games and Villa park is with the council it's "oh look at us aren't we doing brilliantly"with Villa Park it's "we don't really want to do anything until your in the top six and then we will start kissing your arse"

[Malandro]

The idea this will mothball our expansion is absurd. I’m not even convinced it’s delaying it. Demolishing the stand this summer would have been good going.

[Stinkin_Thinkin]

As someone alluded to earlier in the thread if it was Mcdonalds or Tesco's building a new store they pay for the roads to be altered. I remember the  tescos build by burnt tree island, well, they totally deleted the island. Why wouldn't the billionaires want to pay and have it to their spec? Look at how beautiful Bournville is. I always thought the road going under the trinity was ridiculous and maybe should have been re-positioned. Compromises never look great.

[chrisw1]

As someone alluded to earlier in the thread if it was Mcdonalds or Tesco's building a new store they pay for the roads to be altered. I remember the  tescos build by burnt tree island, well, they totally deleted the island. Why wouldn't the billionaires want to pay and have it to their spec? Look at how beautiful Bournville is. I always thought the road going under the trinity was ridiculous and maybe should have been re-positioned. Compromises never look great.

You think owners should spend £30m on a train station whilst fans are having 30% season ticket price hikes?

[paul_e]

The big difference there is that McDonalds and Tesco are open 7 days a week for 16+ hours a day. Villa Park is used about 25-30 times a year for a few hours at a time.

[sid1964]

If you think Birmingham Council is bad you should live in Dudley, the council here is a disgrace and has been for 20 years+

We had 8 million visitors to the Zoo and Black Country Museum last year and yet the high street which is within walking distance of both attractions is a disgrace ( it has been voted one of the worst high streets in the country)

[London Villan]

Witton needs an additional platform, queuing system and segregation. That is much more work than a new road island. Also has regional implications for the rail network.

[astonvilla82]

If you think Birmingham Council is bad you should live in Dudley, the council here is a disgrace and has been for 20 years+

We had 8 million visitors to the Zoo and Black Country Museum last year and yet the high street which is within walking distance of both attractions is a disgrace ( it has been voted one of the worst high streets in the country)

was at Dudley town hall for a concert and couldn't believe how run down it was

[algy]

Witton needs an additional platform, queuing system and segregation. That is much more work than a new road island. Also has regional implications for the rail network.

I do wonder with Wilton if it might be running trains around that loop through Handsworth - so a special match/event shuttle running Witton - Perry Barr - (handsworth) - Birmingham New Street.

I mean, it may be impossible, but I’d imagine that might be a way to alleviate at least some of the problems, timed to coincide with the southbound cross city line trains at Aston so it minimises problems in that regard.
 - it can arrive on the platform that you’d usually expect Birmingham trains to go on, but just run out of the station in the ‘wrong’ direction.

Potentially could eventually reinstate a station in Handsworth to allow passengers to transfer from the shuttle train to the trams if it proved worthwhile, but operational and useful even if it never happened.

[paul_e]

If you think Birmingham Council is bad you should live in Dudley, the council here is a disgrace and has been for 20 years+

We had 8 million visitors to the Zoo and Black Country Museum last year and yet the high street which is within walking distance of both attractions is a disgrace ( it has been voted one of the worst high streets in the country)

High streets are a very different proposition, they've been dying out for years (and covid accelerated this massively) because they've been edged out from all sides.

It started with retail parks and supermarkets, 1 place with easy access for cars and loads of parking against streets that are impossible for parking, often have limited access/one-way systems or narrow residential streets all around.
Then you add on the rise of online retailers and the convenience/cost-saving and it's another nail in the coffin.

Fixing public transport links is actually one of the best things you can do to help high streets and communities in general, which is why it's baffling how difficult it is to get funding for projects like this. Tram and rail network improvements meet requirements for environmental, community and economic targets and should be near the top of list for councils acorss the country.

[DB]

If you think Birmingham Council is bad you should live in Dudley, the council here is a disgrace and has been for 20 years+

We had 8 million visitors to the Zoo and Black Country Museum last year and yet the high street which is within walking distance of both attractions is a disgrace ( it has been voted one of the worst high streets in the country)

was at Dudley town hall for a concert and couldn't believe how run down it was

Same here when I go back, I got diverted through the town due to the metro works. But over the years, Dudley has been ripped apart....no rail station, both football and cricket ground closed, Merry Hill and Waterfront opened 2 miles away, no investment and a shit council.