Speed limits at Midland motorway roadworks could soon rise

Highways England bosses are looking at plans to redesign its future schemes that would potentially allow speed limits of 55 or even 60mph.

They are also exploring the idea of changing the speed limits when no workers are present and at how construction can be sped up.

Highways England Chief Executive Jim O'Sullivan told the Express & Star: "We need to look more closely how they are managed and make the experience as pleasant as we can.

"We have just introduced the first 60mph speed limit on road works as a trial and we are trialling 55mph which is hugely desired by the truck industry because it takes them up to nearly their maximum speed limit of 56mph.

"We are also looking at whether we can have different speed limits when there is no work taking place than when there is."

He added that roadworks needed to be more 'sensitive' to motorists but said that 50mph speed limits were 'practical'.

Mr O'Sullivan, who this week announced that more than £600 million of investment on the Midlands motorways was making 'real progress', said that some schemes had taken a long time to complete because of government austerity.

He said: "Some were designed in austerity when cost was everything. To do that we have some very long stretches of road works to keep costs down.

"Weekend and night work in the dark are extra pressures with added costs.

"You should see more work taking place more of the time."

Mr O'Sullivan this week addressed the Highway UK conference with industry experts at the NEC in Birmingham.

A series of schemes in the Midlands are currently underway including the planning stage of a £65m overhaul of M6 junction 10 between Wolverhampton and Walsall.

He told the Express & Star: "I'm very please we are making this level of investment in the Midlands. I think the region needs it –it is not just important to the Midlands but the entire country.

"I think the traffic has grown which is a measure of success of the economy.

"If we do not do anything it will only get worse."

More details on the M6 junction 10 plans will be announced soon with a consultation taking place in the new year.

The junction currently experiences significant congestion and traffic delays, particularly during morning and evening rush hours.

Road capacity problems have been identified as one of the main transport issues facing the Black Country within the West Midlands Local Transport Plan. Highways England is working with Walsall Council to deliver the overhaul.

It aims to remove the need for long term maintenance of the existing structure as well as increasing capacity at the junction and thereby reduce congestion.

It is hoped this will improve access to nearby sites set for development and improve accessibility for cyclists.

Work is set to start in 2019 and finish the following year.