£43 million for A38 to tackle congestion and create jobs in Worcestershire

Today (3 August 2023), the Department of Transport (DfT) has confirmed that construction on the upgrades will start in the coming weeks to radically improve the A38 Bromsgrove, reducing journey times, creating new opportunities for cycling and walking and boosting connections to Birmingham, Bristol and Gloucester.

The scheme – backed by £43 million in government funding – will deliver major upgrades on a 4 mile stretch of the A38 between M42 Junction 1 to the north and the junction of A38 with B4094 Worcester Road in the south. These upgrades will focus on improvements at key junctions to prevent bottleneck and improve traffic flow to reduce journey times.

The upgrades are expected to support over 1,100 new local jobs and 5,500 new homes, generating over £93 million in economic benefits for Worcestershire and the West Midlands.

Roads Minister Richard Holden said: "Thanks to our £43 million investment, these crucial upgrades will help reduce severe traffic congestion and poor connectivity for residents in Bromsgrove and Worcestershire, while making it easier to cycle and walk in Worcestershire.

With work set to begin in the coming weeks, these improvements will bolster the local economy through new jobs and homes, while making journeys quicker and smoother for people to get around the area."

The junction improvements will reduce journey times for local buses, making bus services more reliable and punctual. Real-time passenger information will be installed at bus stops along the route to provide passengers with live updates and help them plan their journey, as the government continues to encourage bus use with over £3.5 billion invested since 2020 to protect routes, improve services and reduce the price of bus tickets.

Local residents will also benefit from improved walking and cycling facilities thanks to a new cycle and pedestrian corridor running parallel to the A38. New crossings will make it easier to access the wider local cycle network, improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, provide more options for active travel and support the drive to net zero.

The total cost of the scheme is £49.8 million, with DfT committing to provide just over £43 million and Worcestershire County Council providing the rest of the funding.

The upgrades are vital to tackle congestion across the A38 and grow the economy in the region by boosting local connectivity. The A38 has been affected by slow traffic flow at key junctions and severe congestion during the weekday rush hour, affecting local residents’ ability to get around.

Councillor Marc Bayliss, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy, Infrastructure and Skills at the County Council, said: "I am delighted that our A38 project has received the funding boost from government that it hugely deserves.

With over £43 million awarded by DfT, we’ll be able to help improve everyday journeys around Bromsgrove and ease traffic for people, as well as boosting the local economy.

Following this announcement, I am pleased to say that contactors will be appointed shortly and work will begin on the improvements later this year."

The project is the latest in a series of government investments to boost local transport infrastructure, including £5.7 billion for future local transport projects across England, as part of the Prime Minister’s plan to grow the economy.