Busy M6 junction fully opens to drivers

The work has widened the junction to ease delays

A multi-million pound upgrade to a busy junction on the M6 in the West Midlands has been fully opened to motorists after two years.

All temporary traffic management measures were lifted from junction 10 on Wednesday ahead of the Easter weekend as the final phase of improvement work was completed.

The £78m scheme started in March 2020 and has seen a four-lane system introduced on the roundabout along with widened slip roads.

National Highways thanked drivers for their patience and cooperation throughout the work.

The junction before the work started in 2020

It will be reviewing the junction’s performance and making improvements where necessary, a spokesperson said, as well as returning for snagging and landscaping work.

But in January, people living close to the junction, between Walsall and Wolverhampton, said they believed the scheme had been a waste of money.

They cited dangerous driving as motorists raced in more lanes to traffic lights and said congestion levels were not noticeably different.

National Highways said the project had increased capacity on the junction, eased delays and improved safety by replacing old bridges.

Further work would be carried out at the roundabout and at junction 8 next month, separate to the two-year project, for bridge repairs and other maintenance work on the motorway, the organisation said.