More than £280 million is to be invested to improve the M42 junction 6 near Solihull.

The £282m scheme will see a new 2.4km dual carriageway link road – aligned to the west of Bickenhill – created between the A45 Clock Interchange and a new junction on the M42 south of junction 6 located north of Solihull Road.

The decision follows a seven-week consultation on three options which ended in January, with Option 1 chosen as the preferred route.

Highways England Regional Director, Catherine Brookes, said: "M42 junction 6 lies at the heart of an area of dynamic growth and is surrounded by a unique mix of existing and proposed major assets that serve both the local and wider economy."

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Highways England Senior Project Manager, Jonathan Pizzey, said: "The recent consultation was a great way to ensure that we heard the opinions of local residents and businesses in the area and also for them to have a say in the project as it moves forward.

"This is a vital scheme which will support economic growth in the area and beyond. It will also improve access to HS2, the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Birmingham Airport and future developments such as the UK Central development area."

As part of the scheme there are also plans to improve traffic flow at the roundabout – a well-known bottleneck – by providing dedicated left turn links between the M42 and A45 at the NEC and the north east side of the roundabout. Additionally, Highways England will be undertaking improvements to the M42 junction 6 roundabout, Clock Interchange and the A45 between the two junctions.

Following this, further public consultation will be held for residents to have their say on the detail of the project. It is expected that this will take place in late 2017 or early 2018.

Construction is expected to start in 2020 and completion is due in 2023.

(LM)