Oh where to begin, Well I'm personally going to start with Amington Fields. Why because in two ways it illustrates perfectly Tamworth's public transport/roads planning.

Amington Fields was built around four years ago. It is on first inspection a really nice area, small twisty roads cut unnecessary traffic to a minimum, the houses are modern but subtly different to each other, which avoids that factory look so often found in new estates. it is close enough to the edge of the town to feel 'countrified' but modern enough to feel urban and with the canal walk close by it all seems like a pretty much perfect place to move to.

And you'd be right except...

Illustration 1) Amington Fields is accessed through Brindly Drive, a dual carriageway that was built alongside the housing development. If you choose to visit, I'd recommend that you don't travel down it at speed, well, unless you are a crash test dummy! It ends in a great mound of earth, just a few hundred yards from the Railway Station. The alternative route for the people who bought new houses there is to travel, not a few hundred yards but a few miles, mostly in the opposite direction, to reach the town centre. This is because the old routes across the canal were closed off - all except one for pedestrians - when the new estate was built. So what you've got is a community pretty much forced to drive, lord help the residents if they need the emergency services and so much for Tamworth's Green Policies!

This situation is exasperated by...

Illustration 2) You'd expect Arriva, partly subsidised as it is by Tamworth Council, to compensate for this wonderful road to nowhere by running a regular bus route.., wouldn't you, well wouldn't you?

Wrong, the only bus that runs anywhere close, runs down the Amington/Tamworth Road, which is on the other side of the canal that, you'll remember, only has one pedestrian bridge leading to it. This bus stops running mid-evening leaving a substantial section of the town cut off from the rest of the population after 9 o'clock at night.

It is oddities such as this that made me want to live in Tamworth - contrary bunch humans aren't we!?
 

 

I personally find it ironic that the town that was the home for the 3-wheeled Reliant Robin has become home to the speedbump. However given the amount of boyracers hanging around Stryker's (don't snigger at their Escorts, Fiestas and Novas, they can turn ugly when ridiculed) I actually find this situation quite welcome, although this does turn the Ashby road in to racing heaven at times!

The roads in general are pretty well kept and traffic flows smoothly, even on a Saturday morning.., which is nice.

Junction 10 of the M42 will take you on to the B5404 straight in to the Town Centre. The opposite direction will take you on the A5 towards Nuneaton- and may god have mercy on your soul if you go there. (Kidding!!!)

  

 

Tamworth is predominately served by Arriva, though a few independents do try now and again to rumble chaotically and haphazardly around or over the speedbumps, tight curves and contraflow streets.

You can get timetable information here: www.arriva.co.uk

  

  Tamworth has 2 stations, but apparently plans are in place to create 2 more - though where and whether for passengers or freight only time will tell. The two existing stations, one in Tamworth centre (more or less) and one in Willnecote. close to Dosthill, are used mainly for a substantial commuter service to Birmingham, Nottingham and Derby.

You can check times here: www.rail.co.uk/ukrail/planner/planner.htm

  

  It can come as a shock even to the locals that Tamworth actually has a thriving canal system. Indeed just outside of Tamworth in Polesworth is the Alvecote MarinaVillage, www.narrowboat.co.uk, and at the last viewing the Tamworth Cruising Club was actually thriving, www.tamworthcruisingclub.org.uk.

Side note to American visitors to this site: Cruising in the UK is a boating term and has nothing to down with the gay lifestyle whatsoever, not even a hearty 'Hello Sailor,' okay!!