Joy for drivers as work on West Midlands roads is suspended over Christmas

Highways chiefs will be putting many projects on hold from next week in a bid to ease congestion during the holiday period.

However, work will continue on the £126.4 million managed motorway scheme on the M6 in the Black Country, where the Highways Agency said temporary speed limits and traffic management must remain in place to protect the safety of workers throughout.

Overnight full motorway closures will however be stopped over the Christmas period. In addition, a section of the M6 where it meets the M5 at junction 8 will be re-opened to three full lanes on the southbound carriageway from Friday morning.

A Highways Agency spokesperson said: "Where possible and where it is safe to do so, the Highways Agency removes as many road works as possible to help everyone travel more freely during the busy Christmas period.

"Where there are ongoing major projects, such as on the stretches of the M6 in the West Midlands, where Smart Motorway schemes are being installed, traffic management and temporary speed limits must remain in place to protect the safety of workers.

"Once completed, these two Smart Motorway schemes will reduce congestion and improve journey time reliability on these busy stretches of the M6. Safety is a top priority for the Highways Agency; our roads are amongst the safest in the world. Christmas is undeniably a busy time on our network and we'd recommend allowing extra time for all journeys."

Meanwhile, in Staffordshire, the £500,000 scheme at Horse Fair, which is reducing the route through Rugeley to a single carriageway, had already been suspended to avoid being detrimental to trade.

County transport chief Simon Tagg said: "Any road improvement work in our town centres is suspended at least a month before Christmas so trade is not disrupted.

"Work outside town centres usually carries on until just before Christmas – most schemes will see a break from next weekend until January 6."

Works will also be reduced in Dudley during this month and early January and there will be none in Walsall.

The underpass at the A41 Expressway in West Bromwich will remain closed for repair works, however highways boss Councillor Maria Crompton said there will be no other works over the Christmas period.

South Staffordshire Water added that water main work at the Hammerwich village scheme near Burntwood would be completed on Friday.

Work taking place in Brooke Street, Dudley to replace around a mile of water mains will be suspended on December 20 and will restart on January 6.