Birmingham's Five Ways underpass to close for tram work

A busy city centre underpass will close for two years from Monday to allow tram extension works to take place.

The underpass beneath Five Ways roundabout in Birmingham links Broad Street and Hagley Road - a busy route in and out of the city.

Its closure is part of the Midland Metro tram extension, which is expected to be completed in 2021.

While the roundabout itself will remain open, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) has warned of increased traffic.

The underpass will be closed from 3 June and TfWM has issued guidance to people travelling into Birmingham using the Five Ways roundabout.

Drivers are advised to allow longer for journeys, use public transport where necessary and consider alternative routes.

TfWM said the expanded tram service will improve transport links to the city centre and help cut down on traffic pollution.

The extension of tram services from Grand Central to Centenary Square on Broad Street is expected to be completed later this year.

The new line heading towards Edgbaston should be completed in time for Birmingham to host the Commonwealth Games in 2022 and TfWM hopes the tram will go as far as Birmingham Airport if funding can be found in the future.

Phil Hewitt, from Midland Metro Alliance, said the extension will "really transform the accessibility from Birmingham to the Black Country".

"The opportunities for people to access jobs, to access leisure, will be fundamentally different to where we are today," he said.

"It will be well worth waiting for."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, on Twitter, and sign up for local news updates direct to your phone.