Delays expected as emission-cutting work planned at two more Dudley junctions
Drivers are set to face disruption as the second phase of work to tackle nitrogen dioxide emissions begins at two sites in Dudley.
Dudley Council was awarded more than £1.5 million from the Government to tackle roadside nitrogen dioxide emissions in April 2019.
The grant aims to help reduce vehicle emissions and address two key locations in the borough – the A461 Castle Gate island and A491 High Street in Wordsley.
A range of options were considered to reduce air pollution, with a key focus on how to improve traffic flow and clean up emissions from buses, the council said.
The funds have been used to provide new traffic signalling technology which will determine the best traffic signal sequence and provide upgraded “intelligent” pedestrian crossings.
Other ways to improve traffic flow, such as moving bus stops, will be considered and more clean energy buses will be used on busy routes, the council said.
The Castle Gate element of the project has been completed with improvements made to the pedestrian crossings along Duncan Edwards Way and the traffic signals at Castle Gate roundabout.
Work on the second phase of the project is set to start on January 6 – which will aim to tackle congestion and traffic flow on High Street, in Wordsley, and will include work on junctions of High Street, Lawnswood Road and Blandford Drive, known locally as 'the Cat' junction, as well as the junction of High Street and Brierley Hill Road.
There are likely to be delays around the area while the work is carried out.
Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley Council's cabinet member for environment, highways and street services, said: "Improving air quality is a real focus for us and this additional funding has allowed us to look at a range of ways in which we can reduce air pollution around the borough and at these two locations specifically.
"While we have paused the project so as not to disrupt the busy Christmas period, we will be re-starting the work in early January in Wordsley.
"I hope that people bear with us while we make these improvements to help improve air quality for everyone."
The £1.5 million is from a joint grant from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and the Department for Transport.
