Work to start within weeks on A38 upgrade in Worcestershire

Work is due to start soon on the upgrade of the A38 in Worcestershire, which is backed by £43m of government funding. 

The Department for Transport (DfT) has confirmed construction 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 will deliver major upgrades on a four-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 more than 1,100 new local jobs and 5,500 new homes, generating over £93m in economic benefits for Worcestershire and the West Midlands.

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.

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

The DfT says junction improvements will reduce journey times for local buses, making services more reliable. Real-time passenger information will be installed at bus stops along the route to provide passengers with live updates and help them plan their journeys.

The upgrades are vital to tackle congestion across the A38 and grow the economy in the region by boosting local connectivity.

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 £43m 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.”