West Midlands region

West Midlands region

Targeted programme of improvements

It was announced in July 1997 that, following the 1994/95 public inquiry, the go-ahead had been given to the privately financedBirmingham Northern Relief Road. The following further schemes have now been included in the targeted programme of improvements:

A5 Nesscliffe Bypass Will provide a safer and healthier environment in Nesscliffe by removing more than 90% of traffic from thevillage.

A5 Weeford-Fazeley Will improve safety and environmental conditions in the village of Hints by removing through traffic, andwill improve safety and traffic flows on the core network, particularly at the A5/A38 junction where there is already significantcongestion.

A500 City Road/Stoke Road junctions Will promote economic regeneration by improving the flow of traffic through two keyjunctions in the heart of the North Staffordshire conurbation close to several major development sites, and will improve conditions forpublic transport, cyclists and pedestrians.

In addition, preparation work will continue to progress the following scheme aimed at dealing with serious congestion at a key junctionenabling it to be taken forward without delay, subject to full appraisal and the views of the regional planning conference:

• A45/A46 Tollbar End Improvement

Schemes associated with development

The following development driven scheme will be taken forward subject to agreement with the developer concerned:

• A38 Streethay-Hilliards Cross

Proposed studies

Subject to consultation with the regional planning conference it is proposed to undertake the studies detailed below. The outcome ofthese studies will inform consideration of transport infrastructure requirements in preparing Regional Planning Guidance, including theneed for improvements to the trunk road network.

West Midlands Area Study Study to address congestion and environmental problems in and around Birmingham and the Black Country by aconsideration of a wide range of measures, including those already being taken forward in the metropolitan transport package.

West Midlands to North West Conurbation Study of M6 capacity problems and possible solutions, including scope for modal shift.

West Midlands to Nottingham Study of congestion problems in A42/M42 (to M6) corridor taking into account the M69 and A38 corridors.

A5 Shrewsbury-Welsh Border Study to consider safety and environmental problems.

A46/M40 Longbridge Roundabout Study to identify options for improving journey reliability on this increasingly important strategicroute from the East Midlands to the South West.

Smaller scale measures

The Highways Agency will be implementing local measures to improve safety and make better use of the existing trunk road network in somecases with a view to the implementation of a consistent route strategy, for example:

• A40 Ross-on-Wye to Gloucester
• A46 Stratford M5
• A449 Kidderminster to Worcester
• A456 Kidderminster-M5
• A49 route study, Phase 1 Ross-on-Wye Hereford

Other measures to be developed include:

• Extension of the Midlands Driver Information System to cover the A50 corridor;
• Improved incident detection on the M6 through the West Midlands;
• Revised signs and markings at major motorway interchanges;
• More reliable diversion strategies during incidents;
• Closed circuit television coverage of the M6 north of Birmingham;
• Safety improvements on the A449 north of Wolverhampton

The Highways Agency is, in partnership with Centro, conducting a scoping study of potential park and ride sites in and around Birminghamand the Black Country.

Transport system

The West Midlands region includes the major West Midlands metropolitan area and the smaller North Staffordshire conurbation. In theremainder of the region there are a number of smaller towns, the former new or expanded towns of Telford, Redditch, Droitwich andTamworth, and extensive rural areas particularly in the west of the region.

The West Midlands lies at the centre of the motorway network, with the M6 providing a crucial link between the North West and Scotlandand the South East; the M5 linking to the South West; the M40 providing an increasingly important alternative route to the South andSouth East; and the M42, M69 and A38 linking the West Midlands to the East Midlands and North East. There are also important spur roadsto North and South Wales and the A49 is an important north-south route for Wales and the western part of the West Midlands. Several ofthese corridors also include major public transport arteries, especially the West Coast Main Line and other rail lines to Bristol andSheffield and the North East. There are a number of local rail services radiating through and from the West Midlands conurbation and anew light rail line between Wolverhampton and Birmingham will open shortly. The western part of the region is less well-served by railconnections, but the routes to Wales are important for business and leisure purposes. The new international rail freight terminal atHams Hall east of Birmingham provides a valuable service for freight traffic. Birmingham International Airport is expanding rapidly, andthere is also a fast-growing freight airport at Coventry.

Pressure points on eastern region's trunk roads

Following publication of What role for trunk roads in England? six sub-regional meetings were held with the relevant local authoritiesand the Highways Agency to consider problems on the trunk road network and priorities for action. A further region-wide meeting was heldwith the local authorities, business organisations, transport operators and environmental interest groups. In addition over 1,000written representations were received.

The main areas for action identified as a result of the regional consultation were:

• Need to keep traffic flowing on the regions motorway network to support economic prosperity, and early completion of the BirminghamNorthern Relief Road;
• Need to explore public transport improvements as alternatives to or alongside road building and to consider complementary trafficrestraint and demand management measures;
• Removal of through traffic from communities to improve the safety and environment for residents, particularly on the A435, A49 andA5, and generally improving the safety and environment of routes by a variety of small-scale measures;
• Improvement of the A5 west of Shrewsbury to tackle safety and environmental problems and facilitate economic activity in NorthShropshire and North Wales;
• Dealing with congestion and safety issues at key junctions;
• Improvement to the City Road and Stoke Road junctions on the A500 in Stoke to support regeneration in North Staffordshire;
• Need to consider development pressures, including infrastructure requirements for Birmingham International Airport and the NationalExhibition Centre and developments on the A38 in Staffordshire;
• Need for a co-ordinated and multi-modal approach to management of local and national traffic and demand through and aroundBirmingham and the Black Country;
• Further expansion of the Highways Agency Midlands Driver Information System.

Other decisions

The following schemes are to be the subject of further studies and consideration by the regional planning conference:

• M6 J11A-16 Widening
• M42 J3A-7 Widening

With the introduction of a transport package to address the city's traffic problems the following scheme is being withdrawn from thenational trunk road programme:

• A49 Hereford Bypass

Proposals for detrunking

Routes within the West Midlands proposed for transfer to local highway authority management are:

• *A5 (M6-A38)
• A34 (Staffordshire)
• *A38 (A5-Birmingham)
• A38 (Birmingham-Tewkesbury)
• A40 (Ross-on-Wye south-eastwards)
• A41
• A45 (A46-M42 and M45-M1)
• A49 (Shrewsbury northwards)
• A423
• A435
• *A446
• A449
• A452 (Walsall)
• A456
• A458
• A465
• A523/A52
• A4123

* consequent on completion of the Birmingham Northern Relief Road