The A457 Dudley Road Improvement Scheme in Birmingham has received £19.94m to improve travel infrastructure.
This aims to tackle the economic differences that effect local people’s health and life chances.
Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for Transport and Environment, Councillor Zaffar said:
“The Dudley Road Levelling-Up scheme will catalyse the desperately needed economic growth and regeneration in the area; improving quality of life and bringing prosperity to an area of low productivity and connectivity.”
Dudley Road is a key arterial route from the Black Country into central Birmingham. Approximately 2km long, it is heavily used by local and through traffic, and is the route used by emergency vehicles to access the M5 motorway.
The section of Dudley Road between Spring Hill junction to the Sandwell boundary has deteriorated to the point that it now an unattractive route into and out of the city centre, particularly at peak times.
The scheme aims to improve journey times, reduce congestion, enhance public transport and active modes of transport, along the corridor. In turn, this will allow 3,000 new homes and facilities to be built which will create employment opportunities.
Improvements will be made to existing junctions, bus lanes and pedestrian and cycling facilities.
These benefits meet local, regional, and national objectives; those of Greater Birmingham and Solihull LEP, Emergency Transport Plan and Active Travel Plan which were introduced following Covid-19. The scheme aspires towards the council’s longer-term priorities for sustainable transport and work towards net-zero carbon by 2030.