Highways England is announcing its preferred route for a major
£282m improvement scheme to improve the M42 junction 6 near
Solihull which has the backing of local residents, businesses and
road users.
Following a seven week consultation on three options which ended
in January, Highways England is taking forward a modified version
of Option 1 as the preferred route for M42 junction 6.
The modification moves the route slightly closer to the south
west corner of Bickenhill to avoid a local business in the area
and reduce the effect on the Bickenhill Meadows, a Site of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
Option 1 was supported by 64% of people who responded to the
consultation, including 60% of the local residents. The preferred
route will see a new 2.4km dual carriageway link road – aligned
to the west of Bickenhill – between the A45 Clock Interchange and
a new junction on the M42 south of junction 6 located north of
Solihull Road.
Highways England regional director, Catherine Brookes, said:
M42 junction 6 lies at the heart of an area of dynamic growth
and is surrounded by a unique mix of existing and proposed
major assets that serve both the local and wider economy.
Highways England senior project manager, Jonathan Pizzey, said:
The recent consultation was a great way to ensure that we heard
the opinions of local residents and businesses in the area and
also for them to have a say in the project as it moves forward.
This is a vital scheme which will support economic growth in
the area and beyond. It will also improve access to HS2, the
National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham Airport and future
developments such as the UK Central development area.
The decision to take forward Option 1 has also received the
backing of Birmingham International Airport and the UK Urban
Growth Company.
Birmingham Airport chief operating officer, David Winstanley,
said:
We welcome Highways England’s decision to progress the Option 1
scheme for improvements to junction 6 of the M42. This junction
is a critical part of the road network which provides access to
many of the region’s biggest employers but is currently heavily
congested.
It is therefore vital that better access is provided to ease
current congestion and cater for the future growth of both
Birmingham Airport and the surrounding UK Central area. We will
continue to work with Highways England to ensure that our
emerging master plan aligns with the scheme so that passengers
using Birmingham Airport in years to come benefit from the
improvements.
Managing director at UK Urban Growth Company (UGC), Huw Rhys
Lewis, said:
We have worked closely with Highways England and wholeheartedly
support this option which will increase the resilience and
reliability of the road network in this area and in turn
support economic growth.
As part of the scheme there are also plans to improve traffic
flow at the roundabout - a well-known bottleneck - by providing
dedicated left turn links between the M42 and A45 at the NEC and
the north east side of the roundabout. This will benefit
motorists by reducing congestion and improving journey times
around the junction, as well as access to and from the motorway.
Additionally, Highways England will be undertaking improvements
to the M42 junction 6 roundabout, Clock Interchange and the A45
between the two junctions, in order to ensure the two junctions
can work together going forward and minimise the effect on the
A45.
Highways England will continue to work closely with all the
stakeholders through the detailed design and statutory process to
ensure their views and ideas are incorporated into the design
where appropriate.
Following this work, Highways England will hold a further public
consultation so that people can have their say on the detail of
the project. It is expected that this will take place in late
2017 or early 2018.
Construction is expected to start in 2020 and completion is due
in 2023.
For a copy of the preferred route announcement leaflet and more
information about the scheme, visit the scheme website.
