Fresh chaos warning on £3m Wolverhampton Vine Island works
A busy road will close next week in the next phase of a £3 million project to cope with traffic travelling to and from the i54 business park.
New temporary traffic lights, a road closure and a contraflow will all be in place at Wolverhampton's busy Vine Island.
Wolverhampton City Council chiefs today said that the work – which has already sparked complaints from nearby shopkeepers about lost trade – is on track to finish on time. Work to transform the Vine Island, at the A449 Stafford Road, began in September last year and is due to be finished by the end of the year.
The site is being transformed to cope with the increase in traffic which is associated with the multi-million pound i54 business park.
The latest phase of work will include resurfacing at the Vine Island roundabout, at its junction with Wobaston Road and Bee Lane.
The latest work will see Bee Lane closed from 7pm on October 10 to midnight on October 18.
It will shut completely at its junction with Stafford Road, and drivers can access properties and businesses in Bee Lane from Wood Lane and Cottage Lane.
Drivers trying to get to Bee Lane from Stafford Road will be diverted to the Three Tuns roundabout, along Three Tuns Lane and Wood Lane.
A weekend contraflow system will be in force on Stafford Road from 7pm on October 11 to midnight on October 13.
It means that vehicles travelling along the A449 from the city centre to the M54 will be directed onto the opposite carriageway for 450 metres.
It also means that vehicles will not be able to turn right into Wobaston Road but will be directed to the Three Tuns roundabout and back on to the A449.
Councillor Peter Bilson, regeneration chief at Wolverhampton City Council, said: "We are very much on track to finish these vital works on time.
"We understand that these forthcoming works will cause some disruption but, as we have done throughout the whole scheme, we will work to keep these at a minimum," he added.
He said that residents and businesses had been informed of the arrangements and diversion routes would be in place.
Vehicles will also not be able to exit out of Wobaston Road onto Stafford Road and all those travelling from the direction of Bilbrook and Pendeford will be diverted via The Droveway, Blaydon Road and Oxley Moor Road to rejoin Stafford Road.
Traders hit by the long-running roadworks have been told they can apply for business rate relief.
Some have reported a drop in trade of up to 50 per cent while the £3 million revamp is carried out.
