Birmingham City Council’s bereavement services has introduced special measures at new Hall Cemetery in Sutton Coldfield in a bid to avoid the traffic and parking problems of two weeks ago

Concerns over back-to-back funerals at a Sutton Coldfield cemetery site has led to special measures being introduced in a bid to avoid the parking and traffic chaos of a fortnight ago.

A large funeral is set to take place at New Hall Cemetery in Lindridge Road at 3pm on Saturday (February 22) just an hour after another funeral, with fears of the parking and traffic problems of Saturday, February 8 being repeated.

Then cars were left abandoned on verges and in the road as mourners headed to a funeral at the site around midday.

Residents were left blocked in, those who had carers appointments were concerned their visitor would not be able to park nearby and one who was selling her home was concerned the funeral car-nage may put off the prospective buyer.

Read more: Fury as funeralgoers cause gridlock abandoning cars near cemetery

At the time Cllr Richard Parkin (Sutton Reddicap, Cons) said the expansion of the cemetery had not been met with the necessary improvements to Lindridge Road and to the entrance/exit of the site.

Cllr Parkin said there was space inside the cemetery’s car park to cope with large funerals, but the access was not good enough leading to mourners panicking and leaving their cars where they could.

Speaking about the events of February 8 the councillor said: “It was a nightmare.

“It was pandemonium. Residents were ringing because they couldn’t get off their drives.

“There were a number of problems. There’s damage to the verges. They are the same issues we had before and they have been getting worse.

“The council is making money from burial services but is not investing it in the highways and transport infrastructure around the cemetery.”

Today, Cllr Parkin has said the city council’s bereavement services team is putting in place additional measures to try and stop a repeat of the issues of two weeks ago.

These include directing the funeral cortege to approach from Leigh Road or Rectory Road to the cemetery.

And asking mourners to share cars from the mosque to the burial site and to park their cars within the cemetery.

The councillor is also asking local motorists to avoid the area.

Read more: Moment ambulances get caught in cemetery road gridlock

Cllr Parkin said: “I have been informed by Birmingham City Council’s Bereavement Services that a large funeral will be taking place at New Hall Cemetery on Lindridge Road on Saturday February 22 afternoon.

“The funeral is expected to start at 3pm but another funeral is also taking place just before at 2pm.

“If possible, please try and avoid the area as Lindridge Road and nearby roads are likely to become very congested.

“The Bereavement Services team are putting special measures in place to try and cope with the expected traffic and parking issues.”

Cllr Parkin continued: “They have emailed the funeral director today to request that the funeral cortege approaches from Leigh Road/Rectory Road direction to improve the traffic flow on the roadway.

“This will enable the cortege and following cars to pull straight into the Cemetery and avoid the ‘leapfrogging’ from the Springfield Road direction.

“They have also asked if an announcement to this effect can be made ahead of the funeral for those following from the mosque to the cemetery, and have requested that mourners consider car sharing and use the car parks within the cemetery grounds.”

The councillor said bereavement services has also allocated a burial grave in the nearest section to the car park ‘to enable staff to direct traffic to that area’.

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He said: “All cemetery weekend staff have been briefed of the anticipated funeral and four members of staff will be on-site to help manage the traffic flow within the cemetery.”

The councillor added there was another large funeral at the cemetery booked for Wednesday, February 26 at 2.30pm when ‘similar measures’ will be put in place – with a similar increase in traffic expected.

Read more: Muslim families say ‘no respect’ as burial rules ‘overlooked’ at city cemetery

Speaking after the traffic chaos of two weeks ago a spokeswoman for Birmingham City Council said: “We are aware usage has increased at Sutton New Hall Cemetery which has impacted the neighbourhood and we are moving forward with evaluating proposals for an additional entrance to the cemetery, which would help to alleviate the pressures on the road network.

“We have implemented a number of traffic management measures both within the cemetery and along the highway to reduce the impact of increased traffic for residents, though this particular funeral was one of the highest-attended we have seen.

“We would stress that, while we understand drivers’ frustration, they should always consider other road and pavement users and not block drives and other access.”