Calls for more talks on £300m new link road
Plans for a £300 million link road to be created between the M54 and M6 Toll have sparked concern from parish councillors who fear that it will blight the area and hit house prices.
South Staffordshire Council was expected to back the project this afternoon.
But the long-standing proposals were branded "absurd" at last night's Essington Parish Council meeting. Councillors questioned whether South Staffordshire residents would benefit from the road.
They also called for the public to be given a greater say over the plans.
Three options were originally drawn up by the Highways Agency for the scheme.
Two of the options would see a new road built between Featherstone and Hilton Park.
But South Staffs Council is refusing to support building a new road through Featherstone to link the motorways and will instead back creating a new slip road to let cars go north from the M54 at junction 10A.
Officials at the authority have said the option of directing traffic to the M6 would be the "least damaging in environmental and social terms".
However, parish council chairman David Clifft told last night's meeting: "I think it blights the area once the council says that it has a preferred route.
"It means that potential sales of houses on that route could be affected as buyers would be aware that the nearby greenbelt would be replaced by a motorway.
"I think that a road does need to be built but there needs to be a lot more discussion."
Parish councillor Chris Steel added: "They should just upgrade the A5 between Gailey and junction 12 on the M6. I think these plans are absolutely absurd."
The link road is proposed to ease congestion on the A460 and boost business links between Staffordshire, the Black Country and Shropshire.
