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Motorists are being warned to avoid Birmingham city centre when demolition work on the old Central Library begins next month.

The full impact of the massive Paradise development has only this week been revealed as officials warned of major disruption.

Work on the £500 million project will step up a gear, leading to junction closures at Paradise Circus and the removal of the gyratory system - prompting warnings of severe delays.

City council traffic manager Kevin Hicks said: "We want to get the message out that this is a place to avoid."

The warning follows motoring misery which has already gripped Birmingham this year with M6 junction shutdowns and a huge programme of city streets being dug up for works.

Now major new diversions will be created around the Paradise Circus island and buses re-routed (see maps above and below)

City transport bosses are urging commuters to use public transport or reschedule their trips to less busy times of day to avoid sitting in lengthy queues.

As well as pulling down the Brutalist 1970s library, work will also begin on new traffic light junctions to replace the Paradise Circus gyratory.

A summary of the planned works and their impact from May 10 to November is below:

- Paradise Circus will no longer operate as a circular road system. The northern link will be closed

- From Holliday Street and Suffolk Street Queensway, northbound traffic will have no access to the A38 South and the Town Hall car park

- From Great Charles Street traffic routes to the A38 South, Broad Street and Town Hall will be open as usual

- Sand Pits and Parade will be closed to all inbound and outbound traffic

- Vehicle access on Broad Street restricted from Bridge Street to buses and Hackney Carriages only for traffic into city

- Summer Row works continue with temporary restrictions

- The following bus routes will be diverted - 82, 83, 87, 89, 10H and 126

Council traffic manager Kevin Hicks said: "We want to get the message out that this is a place to avoid unless you need to access the immediate area such as the Jewellery Quarter.

"The works programme has been developed to keep disruption to a minimum. However, the scale of these activities means that impact on traffic flows, particularly at peak rush hour times is inevitable."

He said the council recognised there was other work taking place throughout the city, including at the M6 junctions, but added it could not wait.

"We have several major projects which are important to this city coming through over the next three to five years and that presents a challenge to us," he added.

"But we cannot run these one after the other or else we would still be here for the next 25 years."

Although work on New Street station is due to end this year, further developments will soon be under way including the extension of the Midland Metro to Centenary Square, Arena Central and, further ahead, work on the Smithfield development on the site of the Wholesale Markets.

Following demolition of the Central Library, developer Argent and Hermes will start work on two new office blocks overlooking Chamberlain Square.

Detailed planning permission is due to be submitted shortly and these are set to be finished during 2018.

Manager of the Broad Street Business Improvement District Mike Olley praised the developer and city council for its co-operation.

He said: "You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs and this will be a particularly nice omelette when it is finished. We are going to have a wonderful city centre at the end of this, businesses recognise they have got to do this."

He said the closure of the end of Broad Street earlier this year, diverting traffic along Bridge Street, had helped get commuters "into the mindset" something major was taking place and added the developer had been very sensitive to the needs of businesses and got it "mostly right".

Project director Rob Groves said the old library was being stripped out ready for demolition proper.

"People will be able to see the library being demolished starting at the end of June, beginning of July. It will be a lengthy process," he added.

He said a new pedestrian walkway route linking Chamberlain and Centenary squares would also be put in place in June.

"There will be a walkway open throughout the development," he added.

** Details of the road closures are on display at 77 Paradise Circus until April 18.