HIGHWAYS chiefs are hoping a new £250,000 road improvement scheme will help to cut delays for cars and pedestrians along a major route in Amblecote.

The busy Brettell Lane/Platts Road junction is to be upgraded with signalling and improved crossing facilities starting during half term week - from Monday February 20.

Traffic bosses are upgrading the signalised junction with the latest technology and controlled pedestrian crossing facilities will be introduced during the works which are expected to take 12 weeks to complete.

Existing pelican crossings in Brettell Lane and a staggered crossing on the A491 between King William Street and Platts Crescent will also be upgraded to puffin crossings and linked to the newly-upgraded junction to improve signal coordination.

Councillor Hilary Bills, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental services, said: “This is a major road on our highway network and these improvements will make a massive difference to both road users and pedestrians. Although these works may cause some disruption over the next few months, the benefits should be immediate and long-lasting.

“We are introducing a number of measures that will help ease traffic flow and improve journey times for people going to work, college or taking their children to school.

"It will also improve the crossing for pedestrians, wheelchair users and those with buggies.

"We ask that people bear with us while we undertake this improvement work which should help to make this junction more streamlined, safer and more efficient.”

The preliminary work will get underway during half-term week when there's less traffic on the roads and the majority of the work will take place during off-peak times between 9.30am and 3.30pm, with some occasional Sunday working.

Funding for the scheme is coming from the council’s Integrated Transport Block Capital Budget allocated to Dudley from the Department for Transport.