Smart traffic lights among improvements planned for major gateway into Dudley

Members of Dudley Council’s cabinet discussed a £3.7m improvement plan for the Burnt Tree intersection where the A4123 Birmingham New road meets the route between Dudley and Tipton.

At the meeting on Wednesday (July 30), councillors heard the scheme will improve public transport links as well as speeding up how traffic negotiates the crossing.

Councillor Simon Phipps, Dudley cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: “I heard a rumour we were putting the island back in – we are not putting the island back in.

“The benefit to all of us in the Dudley borough will be, if we improve that junction for buses, it means we are improving the junction for all road users.”

Councillor Phipps added he hoped the improvements will include smart technology.

He said: “When it was implemented there wasn’t the technology there is now to be able to have traffic lights that adjust to the level of traffic and blockages on the junction.

“That is something we are hoping we will be able to do as part of this.

“We are working with the combined authority to deliver this through funding that is in place there.”

Councillor Parmjit Sahota pointed out the junction was a strategic gateway that brought people into Dudley to visit the zoo and Black Country Living Museum.

He said: “We do need to look at how we make that a bit warmer, there are weeds and it is overgrown in some areas.

“We need to look at it on a regular basis, it would be a nice place to plant some flowers.”

Council leader Councillor Patrick Harley agreed gateways should be a priority before cabinet member for neighbourhoods, Councillor Damian Corfield, delivered some good news.

Councillor Corfield said: “We have a 12-week programme there that is going to be carried out very soon to deal with that.

“Maintenance on this was taken off during lockdown – that isn’t an excuse but that was one we do on an ad hoc basis.

“This is a regular maintenance programme – we are fully aware.”