£26m to improve Walsall's roads
Multi-million pound road improvements in Walsall have been given the green light after the Government confirmed it would fund them.
The £26m scheme will cut congestion in Darlaston and Pleck, creating better links for businesses including the planned enterprise zone.
The Department for Transport has now announced it will release £14m towards the scheme, which will mean the full project involving the remodelling of four key roads and junctions can commence.
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Work to widen the junction at Darlaston Road and Bescot Road, near to junction 9 of the M6 will start at the end of the month.
The junction, known as the Brown Lion junction, will have new traffic lights, a widened carriageway and extra lanes. There will also be better crossings.
Bentley Road South and Bentley Mill Way are also earmarked for work including widened carriageways and new traffic lights starting this autumn. A roundabout will be installed at the junction of Bescot Road and Wallows Lane next summer.
It is expected to be completed in February 2016 and council chiefs have welcomed the confirmation of funds.
See also: Plans for new Walsall swimming pool scrapped.
The Government gave its initial backing towards the scheme two years ago and the remainder of the funding is coming from Walsall Council contribution, transport authority Centro and businesses.
Council transport boss councillor Lee Jeavons said: "It is great news that the Department for Transport has officially given us the go ahead to press on with this major transport scheme.
"Improvements to these arterial routes, which are close to one of the busiest motorway networks in the country, will support new jobs and reduce traffic on busy routes."
As part of regeneration of the town, the council is planning to unlock 40 hectares of land in the area and create more than 3,000 jobs through the enterprise zone.
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Transport minister Baroness Kramer said: "Darlaston is the focus of some of Walsall's most significant urban regeneration proposals.
"The plans I am announcing today will take land which is currently unused and unproductive, and transform it into a major centre for economic growth and employment, creating thousands of jobs and helping drive long term economic growth."
The enterprise zone, land earmarked for redevelopment, comprises 14 sites across Darlaston including the former IMI James Bridge Copper Works.
