City of Wolverhampton's key gateways are to be smartened up as part of a £2 million improvement package of works over the next 2 years.

The condition of street furniture and associated infrastructure on main routes across the city are to be reviewed and a programme developed to renew, repair or remove items.

New boundary signs will be created showcasing the city's proud heritage, and a new gateway tourist sign on each of the main routes is also proposed to clearly profile city attractions such as Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Civic and Wulfrun Halls, Grand Theatre, Molineux Stadium, Monmore Green Stadium, Wolverhampton Racecourse and WV Active.

The overall aim is to improve the streetscape on these major routes and enhance visitors' first impressions of the city - helping to raise its status.

The scheme is being funded from the capital transportation programme budget.

Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment, said: "It is a priority that these routes which provide the gateway to the city are maintained to a high standard.

"While the routes have been improved, it is clear a scheme that delivers a consistent approach to their ongoing development and maintenance is required if the city is to reach the high standards it aspires to."

The routes vary between single and dual carriageway roads and include the main routes linking the City of Wolverhampton to the wider region, such as the strategically important connections to M54 junction 2 on the A449 Stafford Road, M6 junction 10 on the A454 Willenhall Road, and Birmingham on the A4123 Birmingham New Road.

The review will assess carriageway and footway surfaces, road marking, road signs (directional and regulatory) illuminated and non illuminated (including brown tourist signs), street name plates, street lighting, condition of traffic signals and pedestrian crossings, guardrail, barriers and bollards, cleanliness (litter, graffiti etc), trees, vegetation, verges and planters, general street furniture such as litter bins and seating, and gully maintenance.

It is expected the majority of works will be completed during 2017/18, with more complex guardrail changes, subject to safety audits, rolling into phase two of the project during 2018/19.

The routes prioritised in phase one are A449 Stafford Road; A454 Middle Cross/Horseley Fields/Lower Horseley Fields/Willenhall Road; A4150 Ring Road; A4123 Birmingham Road/Thompson Avenue/Birmingham New Road; A454 Compton Road/Compton Road West/Bridgnorth Road; Chapel Ash/Tettenhall Road/The Rock/Wergs Road; A449 Penn Road; A459 Dudley Road/Wolverhampton Road East' Cannock Road; A4124 Wednesfield Road/Wolverhampton/Wednesfield Way/Lakefield Road/Lichfield Road; A41 Bilston Road/Wellington Road/Lichfield Street/Oxford Street; A463 Black Country Route/Shaw Road; City Centre; A 4039 Goldthorn Hill/Parkfield Road/Millfields Road; and A4126 Spring Road/Ettingshall Road/Rookery Road.

  • released: Thursday 9 March, 2017