Hope of new surface for M54 is dealt blow
Hopes that the M54 motorway will be resurfaced to reduce noise to nearby residents have been dealt a fresh blow after the Government's roads minister said the work was unlikely to be carried out in the coming years.
South Staffordshire MP Gavin Williamson has been campaigning for the carriageway to be relaid at a cost of £1.5 million per mile.
He arranged a meeting with Stephen Hammond and was hoping to convince him to back the proposals.
But instead the minister insisted the work would only be carried out when it becomes necessary and the surface has deteriorated.
It has been estimated the road will not need relaying for 10 years. Mr Williamson today vowed to keep up the fight and said he was not willing to make residents in Coven Heath wait that long.
He said: "It is positive that the Government has agreed to use low noise surfacing when the time comes but I want more to be done.
"It could be nine years before anything is done, which is not good enough for residents. I am going to keep banging the drum on this in the hope that relentless pressure will eventually result in the issue being addressed."
He says the M54 needs to be resurfaced from Telford to South Staffordshire, where it links up with the M6. There is a low noise tar that can be used, known as Whisper Tar, he added.
A £36.7m flyover and revamp of junction 2 of the M54 is being built by Wolverhampton City Council and Staffordshire County Council. It will connect to the i54 business park where Jaguar Land Rover is creating an engine plant.
