Sandwell bus upgrades planned as part of ‘cross-city’ link
A number of upgrades including bus and cycle lanes are planned as part of plans to upgrade links between the Black Country and Birmingham.
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The ‘cross-city’ route would build on existing bus services between Dudley and Druid’s Heath in Birmingham via Smethwick, Cape Hill and Bearwood in the Black Country as part of plans to improve bus journeys.
The project is being funded by money given to the West Midlands Combined Authority by the Department for Transport as part of a ‘better deal for bus users’ in 2020.
Sandwell Council said it plans to upgrade three areas with proposals including changing the traffic signals on the Burnt Tree border between Sandwell and Dudley to benefit buses, cyclists and pedestrians and to link with new cycle lanes from Dudley to Brierley Hill and Wolverhampton to Birmingham via Sandwell and the Black Country along the A461 and A4123 respectively.
A new bus and cycle lane would be installed in Dudley Road at the approach with the Oldbury Ringway junction to allow buses to skip queuing traffic – most of which are turning right – and turn left before entering the town centre at Church Street.
The council’s plans for upgrades to the Cape Hill/Waterloo Road/High Street junction in Smethwick are still to be finalised.
The ‘cross-city’ route follows the existing 87 route from Dudley to Birmingham via Oldbury and Smethwick and the 82 route from Bearwood to Birmingham.
The route then follows the existing 50 bus from Birmingham city centre to Druid’s Heath via Moseley and King’s Heath – improvement work that is being carried out by Birmingham City Council.
Transport for West Midlands said the work would improve journey times and reliability as well as reduce delays and congestion for bus passengers.
A report, due to be discussed by Sandwell Council’s cabinet on April 9, said the work at Burnt Tree in Dudley and in Oldbury town centre could start later this year.
