M6 Junction 10 revamp at Walsall will take TWO YEARS
Drivers will face nearly TWO YEARS of delays during the major revamp of the M6 junction 10.
The £65 million project to reduce congestion, which will see the two main bridges replaced and surrounding roads widened to increase capacity, could start as early as next winter.
But bosses have now revealed it will take around 98 weeks from start to finish, causing chaos for drivers using the route near Walsall and Wolverhampton.
It will also mean more misery for Midlands motorway commuters, who currently face delays on the M5 close to the link with the M6.
Walsall Council's cabinet will meet on Wednesday to authorise officers to contact landowners about plots which will need to be acquired to expand the junction.
The council needs to take on two acres of land permanently and a further 2.5 acres temporarily.
But they will also need to create a temporary construction compound which will either be based at John Hill & Sons scrapyard off the Wolverhampton Road, or the industrial estate of Bloxwich Lane.
A report prepared for next week's meeting confirms the contractor for the scheme will be on site for around two years while the work takes place.
It states: "Regardless of where the site compound is sited, that area will be required for occupation by the eventual construction contractor for one to two months prior to the start of construction works to allow for set-up and mobilisation.
"The site compound would then be required for the full duration of the works which at present is thought to be 98 weeks.
"Following the completion of the works, the contractor would likely need the site for a further one month to allow for demobilisation.
"Therefore the expectation is that the chosen site compound option would be needed for approximately two years."
Councillor Angela Underhill, who represents Bentley and Darlaston North which contains the junction, hoped the disruption would be worth it in the long-term.
She said: "I am dreading the next couple of years but at least I know it is going to end.
"To me anything which will make it better than it is now, will be worth it because for everybody in this area it has just become a bugbear. I live on top of it, I go over the motorway every day and it takes me three quarters of an hour to get out, the roads are ridiculous.
"I haven't heard many people complain about it, they just say 'it may take me half an hour longer to get home', but I feel this is long overdue and it is going to resolve a lot of problems."
Councillor Lee Jeavons, regeneration and transport chief said: "This is a major civil engineering project where the design team is using best practice from other schemes to ensure that any disruption during the construction stage will be kept to a minimum.
"However, it is inevitable that a scheme as large as this would cause some disruption - if you want to make an omelette you have to break eggs.
"Working in partnership with Highways England, this major junction improvement would not only replace a worn out junction but also increase capacity and unlock massive regeneration potential which will benefit our local economy.”
David Reed, project manager at Highways England, said: “Highways England and Walsall Council are both committed to cutting congestion and improving safety at M6 Junction 10.
"Working in partnership we have developed a design to deliver more reliable journey times and, at the same time, provide a significant boost to the Midlands economy.
"This is currently going through the planning process.
"Subject to any decision a detailed programme of work will be finalised and we will endeavour to keep any disruption to a minimum.”
