Work on £78m upgrade of M6 Junction 10 to begin in the new year

Bridges that run over the M6 at Junction 10 will be replaced, increasing the road to four lanes in a bid to help traffic run more smoothly at the notorious bottleneck.

John Sisk & Son will complete the transformation of the motorway junction between Wolverhampton and Walsall which serves thousands of drivers every day.

The company has been confirmed as the contractor for the build, plans for which were first announced two years ago.

Preparation work is expected to get under way in the autumn with construction work beginning in January. The job is due to be completed by summer 2022.

Vehicles will continue to run on existing bridges as the new ones are built next to them, before being brought down.

Traffic regularly backs up on the Black Country Route and Wolverhampton Road at peak times and transport chiefs believe the major project will help solve some of the issues faced by drivers.

Highways England and Walsall Council have decided to replace the bridges rather than carry out extensive maintenance to existing ones. The new bridges will also be much larger and carry more traffic.

Highways England project manager, David Reed, said: “We are delighted to announce that John Sisk & Son have been appointed to lead this important scheme which will tackle congestion at a very busy junction at the heart of the country.

“This is a significant milestone for the project which will ultimately bring smoother and safer journeys for the many thousands of drivers using Junction 10 every day.”

Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of Walsall Council, said: “With Junction 10 on our doorstep, Walsall has excellent connectivity and is an attractive place for investment. Reducing delays and increasing capacity at this vital interchange will play an important role in strengthening our economy and improving the accessibility of our town centre."

Project bosses have been given the all clear from the Government to acquire the land needed to alter the junction and layout of the local roads and motorway slip roads.

Part of the Black Country Route, near where it meets the motorway, will also be widened.

Paul Brown, managing director at John Sisk & Son, said: “Sisk is delighted to be awarded this major highways scheme. The project provides us with an opportunity to further enhance our reputation and continue our excellent relationship with Highways England, following the recent successful completion of the A19 works in the North East. We are committed to delivering the project in line with Highways England’s key imperatives and to maximising social value to benefit Walsall Council.”

Mr Reed acknowledged carrying out such a large rebuilding job while keeping traffic moving would be a challenge.

But he said he was confident the project would be completed on schedule in three years' time.

The Highways England chief said comparisons with the long-running and delayed scheme at the Oldbury viaduct on the M5 were not relevant as that job had involved huge maintenance work.

Mr Reed said: "It certainly will make a difference. It's towards the end of their life now and the best thing is to replace them. They will be twice as wide when going across the junction.

"We are restricted by the space available. We will demolish the structure and the end to keep the traffic going. There will be two new bridges outside the existing bridges to keep the junction flowing."

Mr Reed conceded there would likely be some disruption when the build enters its crucial final phase but said drivers would be able to go about their journeys unaffected for the most part.

He said: "There may be some closures overnight when we lift the bridge beams. I can't say there won't be an element of disruption."

He added: "I am confident we can get it complete by summer 2022. Oldbury was a maintenance project and they unearthed some elements they weren't expecting.

"We have got a greater degree of control."