M5 roadworks misery to spread as more roads close
The M5 roadworks misery is set to spread to the roads in Sandwell - with a series of closures planned as part of the long-running motorway works.
Birmingham Road, Park Lane and Stone Street, in Oldbury, as well as Spon Lane South, in West Bromwich, will be closed for periods during the works, it has been announced.
Temporary traffic lights and lane closures are also planned on the roads at other times - set to bring more disruption and cause frustration with council chiefs who have criticised the impact of the M5 scheme on West Bromwich and Oldbury.
The affected roads surround the M5 and highways bosses said they would need to be closed at certain times for safety reasons as scaffolding is put up and taken down.
Dates for closures have yet to be confirmed but the roads are expected to shut during different periods until the end of the long-running scheme next year.
Sandwell Council said the closures would be mostly overnight and short-term.
Drivers could face disruption on Birmingham Road in particular, as it is a main route in and out of Oldbury.
The controversial scheme between junctions one and two, for West Bromwich and Oldbury, has caused major disruption over the last few weeks.
Repairs are being made to the crumbling Oldbury viaduct, with disruption expected until the end of 2018.
The speed limit has been cut to 30mph and traffic filtered into two lanes running in either direction.
A Sandwell Council spokesman said: "The road in question are being closed in order to facilitate the safe erection and removal of scaffolding and drainage works associated with works to the M5 viaduct.
"There are no firm dates for any of these closures at present although, with the exception of Houghton Street, closures will predominantly be overnight and short term only. Due to the fact that the M5 overhangs part of Houghton Street a 24/7 road closure will be necessary for the period of the works.
"Additional traffic management measures such as temporary traffic signals and lane closures may at times also be necessary in order to faciliate the works."
Highways England has come under fire over restrictions that have been put in place on the motorway, with some politicians complaining they are too severe.
Bosses said this month they would be assessing traffic flows to see whether restrictions which have seen drivers crawling at slow speeds can be eased.
