A50: Plans to upgrade busy East-West route revealed

Plans to upgrade a busy East to West Midlands route have been revealed, in the hope they will support businesses and ease congestion.

The proposals, from regional transport body Midlands Connect, include changes to roundabouts, lanes and junctions on the A50 and A500.

Midlands Connect said it hoped the changes would reduce journey times by 30 minutes.

If the plans win government backing, they would be delivered from 2025-30.

Midlands Connect said its research showed drivers are losing more than 37 minutes every weekday because of bottlenecks on the 56-mile (90km) route, which links Derby, Nottingham and Leicester to Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire and the North West.

Major businesses, including JCB, Toyota, Rolls-Royce and Alstom, are located along the corridor.

Midlands Connect outlined a series of recommendations designed to improve traffic flow and reduce delays.

Sir John Peace, who chairs the organisation, said the project was "crucial, both to keep international markets open after Brexit and to reduce emissions by enabling more direct and efficient journeys".

"A key location for manufacturing and industrial activity... the corridor is home to industry-leading businesses and will soon link the new HS2 hubs at Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent with the planned freeport close to East Midlands Airport," he said.

"However, the busy A50/A500 has slowly become more congested over time and regular bottlenecks form at junctions during peak times."

Conservative MP for Burton and Uttoxeter Kate Griffiths said: "These improvements are vital for local infrastructure, to drive future growth and better connectivity for residents.

"Midlands Connect's suggested strategy to upgrade this road corridor will make it easier for multinational businesses in constituencies along the corridor to trade, import and export, as well as opening up new opportunities for employment."

Staffordshire County Council's deputy leader, Philip White, said east to west connectivity was becoming ever more important.

"Reducing congestion and ensuring there is good traffic flow means we can increase investment in our area, support our existing businesses to expand and new ones to be set up, whilst create more opportunities for our communities," he said.

It is hoped funding for the scheme will be secured via the Department for Transport's Road Investment Strategy (RIS).

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We welcome all proposals to improve journey times and reduce congestion on our roads and we will work closely with authorities, including Midlands Connect, on proposals about the next Road Investment Strategy."

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