M6 users braced for more motorway misery
Businesses in Coventry will be offered an update into a major roadworks scheme that is likely to affect city commutes for the next two years.
Highways England is set to begin work on the widening of the M6 between junctions 2 and 4 later this winter and it has organised two public consultation sessions to advise people on the disruption they may face.
The work, which is likely to costs between £155m to £234m, involves:
• converting the hard shoulder to create a permanent fourth lane between junctions 2 and 3a
• converting the climbing lane eastbound between junction 3a and 3 to a permanent traffic lane and retaining the hard shoulder
• between junctions 4 and 3a the motorway will have three lanes and a hard shoulder; this is designed to tie in with the existing M6 junction 5 to 8 smart motorway
• installing new electronic information signs, signals and CCTV cameras – these will be used to vary speed limits and manage traffic flow and incidents
• installing nine emergency refuge areas to use in place of the hard shoulder
• improving the central reserve and adding a reinforced barrier to improve safety
• adding new noise barriers in built up areas
In addition to the main smart motorway scheme, the agency has also been commissioned by HS2 to improve junction 4 ahead of the high speed network being launched.
This will include increasing the number of lanes to aid the flow of traffic for the proposed Birmingham Interchange Station.
The agency said the upgrade was important because the section of motorway between junctions 2 to 4 currently suffered frequent delays due to the volume of traffic using the stretch, a situation likely to worse as Coventry and the Ansty Park site undergo further expansion.
“This scheme will provide greater traffic capacity and more reliable journey times by improving the flow of traffic,” said the agency.
By doing the work now, the road should also be ready in time for Coventry’s celebrations as the 2021 City of Culture.
It is also hoped the work will aid the economic development of the area by providing greater road capacity.
Preparations for the work are now underway, with the agency installing a works compound close to junction 4 in readiness for the start of the scheme proper in March. The work is expected to complete in March 2020.
The two consultation sessions take place at the Novotel Coventry, Wilsons Lane, Coventry on Friday and Saturday (January 12 and 13). The Friday session is between 11am to 7pm and on Saturday between 10am to 4pm.
