Bid for £4m to ease Smethwick bottlenecks

Transport schemes worth almost £4 million, which will see new traffic lights installed at congestion blackspots and improvements to bridges in Smethwick, are being drawn up by Sandwell Council.

moreThe work is aimed at improving access to the borough and unlocking land for development to potentially create new jobs. The authority is now bidding for Government cash to fund the project.

Sandwell's finance boss, Councillor Steve Eling, will be asked to approve funding the bid at a meeting tomorrow.

The authority is applying for cash from the Department for Transport's Local Pinch Point Fund which was created to allow council's to bid for money to be used to remove bottlenecks on the highway network which are impeding growth.

Sandwell Council is asking for £1.055 million to improve junctions at the A457 Soho Way and Soho Street, Bridge Street North at Lewisham Road, Bridge Street North at Rolfe Street and Rolfe Street at New Street.

Traffic lights will be installed at the junctions and calming measures would also be installed. If approved, the improvements will take place on a phased basis starting in August and completed by March 2015.

The council also wants £2.769 to fund the reconstruction of Brasshouse Lane and Soho Street bridges in Smethwick to avoid them having a 7.5 ton weight restriction.