Birmingham will receive government funding of £72 million for a vital transport link between the city centre and the M6.
The Tame Valley Viaduct has been used by 80,000 vehicles every day, including 900 buses and around 8,000 HGVs and is now in need of crucial maintenance. The work is set to start in 2022 and will take almost 5 years to finish.
Transport Minister Baroness Vere said: “This viaduct is the lifeblood of Birmingham, carrying tens of thousands of vehicles in and out of the city centre every single day and connecting it to the surrounding motorways and the rest of the country.
We recognise its importance and that’s why we’re investing such a significant amount of money – £72 million – to safeguard the future of the structure and keep local supply chains and public transport services running smoothly.
This is further good news for the region following our Integrated Rail Plan, which will see quicker and easier journeys between Nottingham and Birmingham. We’ll continue to level up transport across the country, support local economies and build back better.”
The government’s multimillion-pound investment will ensure the link remains open for years to come and continue access to the Birmingham City Centre Enterprise Zone, HS2 Curzon Street Railway Station and the Food Hub.
Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Birmingham City Council, said: “This is a significant investment into a key piece of our city’s highways infrastructure.
If we are to ensure people can move around the city as easily as possible and help business flourish, it is vital we carry out projects like this.
This work will ensure the viaduct plays a key part in our transport network for many years to come and help prevent the need for even more significant works in future.”
The total costs of the scheme come to £93.46 million with the remaining funding coming from Birmingham City Council and the Local Growth Fund.
Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands and chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “The Tame Valley Viaduct is a vital part of our regional road network, but one that urgently needs some work. The 80,000 vehicles a day it carries is far more than what it was designed for when it opened in the early 1970s and so I am delighted that, thanks to the government putting this cash on the table, we can now press on and get this essential maintenance work done.
We are making a huge effort to encourage people to use public transport across the West Midlands, but people who rely on the car cannot be ignored and roads such as the Aston Expressway remain a critical part of our region’s infrastructure.”
Image source: "Aerial view of M6A38 Spaghetti Junction.jpg" is licensed under CC BY 2.0
