Plans announced for improvements to city gateway
City of Wolverhampton Council is to consult on further proposals to improve travel along the Willenhall Road corridor.
The Willenhall Road corridor (A454) is a key gateway into the City of Wolverhampton and a direct link that connects the city to the Black Country and strategic road network via M6 Junction 10.
The corridor, which sees 20,000 vehicles pass through the gateway every day, is identified within the Black Country Core Strategy as a growth area in need of improvements.
Significant regeneration proposals have been outlined at key locations along the route including plans for 8,000 new homes and 12,000 new jobs in the area.
In April, phases one and two of the improvements were approved by the City Council’s Cabinet Panel for detailed development.
The City Council has now identified a further two options for consideration as part of the third phase of the project which will contribute to improve journeys on and around the A454 corridor. These options include:
Option one: £6m (approx.) project widening Neachells Lane to the West side
Option two: £16m (approx.) project developing a new link road and ‘hamburger’ island at Neachells Lane
Cllr Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment at City of Wolverhampton Council said: “As a council, we understand the need for road improvements in the area not only to reduce delays and improve traffic flow, but to make way for further improvements we have planned for our city.
“Improving the road network in the area will support the city’s wider regeneration ambition and hopefully encourage more businesses to invest in our city, benefitting residents and attracting more visitors to the city centre.
“I would like to thank those who had taken the time to take part in the consultation for phases one and two, helping us make the right decisions to enable us to progress to the next stage.
“Once phase three is ready for consultation we will communicate with local residents.”
The overall scheme is set to be underway by 2021.
