Ring road scenery is no more

This is the view greeting motorists making their way down Wolverhampton's ring road.

Just stumps remain on the spot of the busy stretch near Railway Drive which was once full of lush green shrubs.

They have been chopped down between the wishbone Metro bridge and the Chubb buildings to pave the way for work to begin on the city's long-awaited interchange project, which will see the Pipers Row bus station completely rebuilt.

But drivers on the inbound side of the carriageway, heading towards the Bilston Street Island, now have a view of the current bus station as they are making their way along the road.

The £174million interchange project is split into two phases, with the first phase including the rebuild of the bus station set to start within weeks.

As part of the scheme a new entrance to the station will be created and a filter lane will be added off Ring Road St David's for buses to access the new development.

Work is set to start in the next few weeks and drivers will face months of disruption while the changes are completed.

Council chiefs will be keeping trees say where possible but believe the work is needed as a result of the major modifications to the ring road.

The trees have been taken down now, so as to avoid disturbing nesting birds. A landscaping scheme will be carried out once the scheme has finished.

The second phase of the Interchange scheme, for which funding is yet to be secured, will include rebuilding the train station.

A date for work to start on the first phase is set to be announced shortly.