The Egg (roundabout)

The Egg is a magic roundabout in Tamworth, Staffordshire. The Egg forms the junction of the A51, A453 and A513 and terminates the B5000. It consists of the roads Ankerdrive and Bolebridge Street, and is listed as being part of the A51. The Egg has a cinema complex and restaurant in the centre, and has the River Anker running through it. The Snowdome and Tamworth FC also directly adjoin the junction. The Egg was voted the fourth worst roundabout in Britain in 2005. [1]

The "Bolebridge Egg" as it is locally known has been enormously controversial since its construction. Its construction involved the demolition of many Victorian houses on the old Bolebridge Street along with the complete demolition of several neighbouring streets, including arched row and two historic pubs. The construction also involved the demolition of the medieval causeway bridge "The Bole Bridge". The neighbouring medieval Lady Bay Bridge was saved from demolition.

In the 1970s the egg became the location for several large blocks of council flats used to house the Birmingham overspill, known locally as the "Colditz Flats". They were condemned as an eyesore by the people of the town,^{[citation needed]} and were just as unpopular with the inhabitants who disliked living on a flood plain, situated between an A road and river. They were eventually demolished.

In modern times the egg is still controversial due to its many accidents and phantom traffic jams, especially around its many mini-round-abouts. The exit for the Ventura Park Retail Park is particularly controversial and is often subject of local news reports.^{[citation needed]}

Originally, traffic would traverse The Egg in a clockwise direction. The Highways Agency found this frustrated motorists and installed mini roundabouts at the junctions onto The Egg, thus allowing both clockwise and anti clockwise movement of traffic. Further alterations came about with the junction to Tamworth Road and Glascote Road, where the slip road was closed off thus leaving a separate access for Tamworth Road, Amington and another for Glascote and Kettlebrook Roads.

See also

• Google Maps satellite image view