£100k island project delayed by weather

A £100,000 project to improve a busy traffic island in West Bromwich has been delayed due to the recent bad weather, the Express & Star can reveal today.

Work to upgrade the Carters Green roundabout was due to finish at the end of January. But the completion date has now been pushed back by weeks. Councillor Mahboob Hussain, deputy leader of Sandwell Council and cabinet member for neighbourhoods and housing, said: "The work has overrun slightly because of the bad weather we have just had.

"There are only minor works to be done now like putting down the road lines and signage.

"Providing the weather does not get worse again, we anticipate that the work will all be completed by mid-February," he added.

Workmen are carrying out general improvements to the structure and layout of the busy island.

The scheme kicked off on November 19, causing tailbacks for long-suffering motorists.

Many of them were already battling against roadworks connected to the £22.5 million underpass project along the nearby A41 Expressway.

The first few days of the Carters Green project saw Old Meeting Street reduced to one lane of traffic.

The street is now back to normal but at the time drivers sat in tailbacks along the A41, New Road, High Street, Carters Green and Old Meeting Street itself.

Motorists along the A41 Expressway have been blighted by lane closures and temporary traffic lights since preparation work for the new underpass began in October.

The construction of the underpass at the junction of West Bromwich Expressway, All Saints Way and the Cronehills Linkway is scheduled to begin early next year.

Sandwell motorists have also been hit by the £12.3m scheme to turn the Burnt Tree island on the border with Dudley into a junction with traffic lights.

Councillor Bob Badham, Sandwell regeneration and transport chief, has apologised for the delays but said all of the projects will benefit the area in the long term.