£50m plan for better Wolverhampton roads in bid to attract business

The money will also pay for improvements across the city to cycleways, footpaths, signage and junctions, new CCTV and school gate parking.

The programme over the next 12 months includes continuing work on major projects such as the Stafford Road corridor to the i54 and work on the Willenhall Road canalside scheme.

Tim Johnson, strategic director of place, said: "If we expect businesses to invest millions of pounds in Wolverhampton we must support them by providing a transport network that meets their needs."

The cash boost follows on from a £55m spend on the city's roads and transport projects over the past three years. Council bosses say it has made a major contribution to the regeneration of the city.

The funds have been used for a number of big schemes, such as works on Birmingham New Road, Stafford Road, Bilston Urban Village and the city centre.

Following on from this, a three-year plan outlining a series of projects and

programmes of works totalling £51.5m - starting from this month until April 2019 - has been recommended for approval at tomorrow's(WED) cabinet meeting.

Beyond the next 12 months, works scheduled to take place include £2m of improvements to the Cannock Road- Cross Street north junction and a £1.5m programme of work to enhance access to Wolverhampton Science Park as well as a further £6m investment in the ongoing Stafford Road - M54 - Vine Island scheme.

General highway improvements are also planned for the city centre, the installation of CCTV at the corner of Cannock Road and Raynor Road and traffic signal upgrades at the Ring Road junction with Snow Hill as well as the New Hampton Road - Hunter Street junction.

City centre footpaths in Queen Square, Exchange Street and Victoria are set for a £1m makeover, along with pavements further out in the suburbs such as Ruskin Road, Pinfold Lane, Braden Road, and parts of Planetary Road and Woodhouse Road, Tettenhall.

The Barnhurst Lane Bridge is also scheduled for strengthening works over the next three years.

Since 2012, additional funding for transport projects has come through the Local Sustainable Travel Fund, the Highway Maintenance Challenge Fund, the Local Pinch Point Fund, Access to Growth Fund and the Managing Short Trips Programme.

The cabinet will be asked to officially note the council's continuing success in bidding for cash from outside sources.

Mr Johnson said: "The additional transport funding we have brought in over the last three years has enabled us to make rapid progress with our regeneration plans for the city."