High street road chaos

Chaos is expected when sections of Wordsley High Street are closed tomorrow as part of continuing roadworks to widen the route.

And holdups are expected to last for a year when a right turn is banned - leaving motorists facing a three-mile detour.

Part of the A491 route, dubbed the most congested in the Dudley Borough, will be closed to traffic tomorrow between 10am and 2pm with temporary traffic lights in place during that period.

Traffic engineers will also ban traffic from making a right turn from Wordsley High Street for a year so workers can complete the roadworks safely. This will inevitably lead to some rat running, Wordsley councillor Geoff Southall warned today.A three-mile detour will be in place along Brettell Lane, Church Street, Brierley Hill High Street, Moor Street and into Brierley Hill Road.

However Councillor Southall said many residents would find a quicker route which was likely to bring more traffic onto minor roads. The ban on the right hand turn will be in force from February 5 and will last for up to a year.

He said: "It is mainly residents that will be affected as far as I can see. There will be some rat-running on smaller roads as this detour that is suggested is very long, at least three miles.

"People will find their own route by working their way through minor roads.

"The road closure will cause problems tomorrow but at least that is a temporary measure."

"I would expect there to be disruption, but if it means Wordsley High Street is brought into the 21st century then it's the price we will all have to pay."

A council spokesman said: "We apologise for any inconvenience to motorists while Sworks are carried out."

By Rebecca Jones