Major £9.7million investment set to improve Wolverhampton’s road network

Nearly £10million is set to be invested in extensive works to improve, maintain and repair Wolverhampton’s highways during the coming year.

Included in this cash boost is a dedicated fund of £500,000 which has been set aside to tackle potholes affecting the city’s roads.

This additional dedicated funding will support the city’s existing pothole budget and ensure repairs are carried out within the council’s set timeframes.

Potholes are a priority for the council to manage, and over the past year more than 6,800 have been repaired on routes across the city.

In total, during the past decade, more than 53,000 pothole repairs have been made in Wolverhampton, with 94% of potholes in the city dealt with within the set deadlines.

Other proposed highway improvements planned for 2024/25 include major maintenance and resurfacing schemes across the city, road safety and traffic management work, upgrading the council’s car park management system, street lighting improvements and the delivery of further Safer Routes to Schools programmes.

There will be improvements to ring road and city centre signage as well as structural reviews and works on a number of city bridges. In addition, there will be the completion of the council’s programme to convert older streetlights to LEDs to reduce carbon emissions. More than 24,550 streetlights have already been converted.

The council will carry out the work under the next phase of its Highway Capital Programme, which has a total budget of £9.7million. Funding for the programme has come through external grants and council resources.

Since 2020/21, the programme has delivered more than £30million worth of improvement and development work. Many of the projects have been carried out thanks to the council’s success in bidding for funding through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).

Completed improvements in 2023/24 include six road safety and Safer Routes to Schools projects, 4.5km of carriageway has been resurfaced and 13.8km of carriageway has received surface treatments.

In addition, there has been an expansion of Wolverhampton’s CCTV network, further rollout of electronic Driver Information Signs which support the new guidance system managing car parks across the city and extension of the council’s smart technology systems which support traffic information.

The Highway Capital Programme aligns with the ongoing work of the Black Country Transport and Wolverhampton Major Transport Investment Programme to deliver major transport schemes across the city and wider region, developed mainly with external funding.

Projects for delivery under this programme include the development of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure across the region, Active Travel schemes and the ongoing development of the A4123, A449 and A454 corridors.

Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “This is a major investment in our transport network and shows our commitment to providing a smooth and seamless journey through our city.

“We know that the condition and safety of our roads really matters to our residents, and it matters to us too. This is why we’re making the most of all available funding by ensuring this additional £500,000 helps to tackle potholes, a problem which affects roads both here in Wolverhampton and all across the country.

“As well as this targeted funding, the new measures set out under the Highway Capital Programme, along with those in the wider Black Country programme, will support residents, businesses and visitors and build on the extensive improvements we’ve already made.

“Good transport helps support our local economy and makes sure people stay connected. Whether you’re driving, cycling, walking or using public transport, we want to provide a network that works for you.”

The planned improvements are pending approval and will be discussed at City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet meeting on Wednesday 20 March.