Worcestershire County Council is set to appoint contractors for a new round of upgrades on the A38 Bromsgrove corridor after ministers confirmed £43m from the major road network funding stream.
Phase 3 of the A38 Bromsgrove Route Enhancement Programme (BREP) improvements will deliver major upgrades on a four-mile stretch of the road between Junction 1 of the M42 to the north, and the junction of the A38 and the B4094 Worcester Road in the south.
The upgrades will focus on improvements at key junctions to prevent bottlenecks and improve traffic flow.
A new cycle and pedestrian corridor will run parallel to the A38 and new crossings will make it easier to access the wider local cycle network.
The total cost of the scheme is £49.8m, with the Department for Transport committing just over £43m and Worcestershire County Council providing the remainder. The funding was first announced a year ago.
Roads minister Richard Holden said: ‘Thanks to our £43m 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.
‘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.’
Marc Bayliss, the county council’s cabinet member with responsibility for economy, infrastructure and skills, said: ‘I am delighted that our A38 project has received the funding boost from government that it hugely deserves.
‘Following this announcement, I am pleased to say that contractors will be appointed shortly and work will begin on the improvements later this year.’
Phases 1 and 2 of BREP were completed in spring 2021, while Phase 4 is in development.
