The West Midlands is being rewarded with more than £2.3m of Government funding for congestion busting improvements after exceeding its targets to tackle jams and improve traffic flow in the region.
Transport Authority Centro and the seven metropolitan authorities have cut congestion by making enhancements to 19 of the region’s busiest commuter routes using previous funding from the Department for Transport’s Urban Congestion Performance Fund.
These improvements together with other road and travel initiatives have seen local journey times fall by 2.4 per cent while the average level of travel has reduced by 5.2 per cent, significantly beating the targets set by the Government.
Transport minister Sadiq Khan has now announced that, thanks to its success, the region will be rewarded with more money to tackle congestion along the 19 routes which cover Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton.
This means the West Midlands has now been granted more than £4.9m from the Urban Congestion Performance Fund.
The reward money will be used to build on the improvements already made to further tackle congestion and provide an enhanced urban environment for people living, working and travelling in the region.
The improvements include:
- Traffic busting improvements to key junctions including highways work to improve traffic flow
- Enhancements to traffic signals to make junctions with traffic lights more efficient
- Real time traffic monitoring with SCOOT and MOVA, allowing traffic signals to be more responsive to traffic flow
- New loading and parking facilities off the carriageway
- Bus lane enforcement
- Walking and cycling improvements including improved information and safety initiatives
- Travelwise initiatives including residential and business travel advice and journey plans, and marketing of car sharing and other congestion busting schemes
- Park & Ride provision
Cllr Angus Adams, lead member for district liaison at Centro and Chair of the West Midlands Planning and Transportation Sub-committee said: “We’re delighted that we have exceeded our target for reducing congestion in the West Midlands metropolitan area, cutting journey times by 2.4 per cent for road users along 19 of the region’s busiest routes.
“The additional funding we have been allocated today is a direct reward for the hard work we have done to improve traffic flows and encourage people to use sustainable travel modes using our previous allocations from the Government’s Urban Congestion Performance Fund.
“This has worked hand in hand with other congestion busting improvements we have been working with partners to bring in across the region. These have included improving public transport services, implementing Smart Routes and Bus Showcase schemes, bringing in Quick Wins by making small scale junction improvements suggested by the business community and encouraging people to make smarter journey choices by providing better services and information.”
