Wolverhampton Ring Road work to last six weeks
Drivers are facing six weeks of delays during roadworks on Wolverhampton's Ring Road.
A stretch of the ring road is being widened to create three lanes for drivers approaching the Bilston Street Island, next to Wolverhampton Crown Court, from the south of the city.
There have been tailbacks as a result, with only one anti-clockwise lane open at Ring Road St David's while the work takes place between 9.30am and 3.30pm.
The work, which started on Monday and is being funded by a government grant aimed at reducing roadside emissions, is due to finish on August 30.
Council bosses believe it will help improve the flow of traffic flow and reduce queues by 30 per cent at peak periods.
Councillor Steve Evans, cabinet member for city environment at Wolverhampton Council, said the works are "essential for the city."
“By widening the road it helps to ease congestion, keeps traffic moving, which in turn means less stationary vehicles pumping out pollution which affects air quality," he added.
“We have made sure this work is carried out during the off-peak period and in the school holidays, to minimise disruption, as traffic is far less during this time of the year.
“The measures have been approved and funded by Defra to improve air quality on and around the Ring Road.”
The council has received a £227,975 grant from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to help tackle roadside nitrogen dioxide emissions.
The money is being used to upgrade traffic lights, as well as to widen roads and review layouts in a bid to reduce congestion.
Measures being funded by the grant include upgrades to traffic lights, widening of busy roads and reviewing layouts to reduce congestion.
The government has also issued the West Midlands Combined Authority with a grant of £2,989,250 to improve emissions of the Transport for West Midlands bus fleet which runs across the region.
The funding will deliver cleaner buses to further improve the air quality across the region.
