L CHF ELD STAFFORDSH RE West Midlands Key Route Network WALSALL WOLVERHAMPTONBlack Country Route WEST BROMW CH DUDLEY BRMNGHAM WARW CKSH RE WORCESTERSH RE SOL HULL COVENTRY Figure 1 12 A5 A38, A38(M), A47, A435, A441, A4400, A4540, A5127, B4138, M6 L CHF ELD Birmingham West Midlands Cross City B4144, B4145, B4148, B4154 11a Birmingham Outer Circle A4030, A4040, B4145, B4146 Key Route Network A5 11 Birmingham to Stafford A34 Black Country Route A454(W), A463, A4444 3 2 1 M6 Toll BROWNH LLS Black Country to Birmingham A41 M54 A5 10a Coventry to Birmingham A45, A4114(N), B4106 A4124 A452 East of Coventry A428, A4082, A4600, B4082 STAFFORDSH RE East of Walsall A454(E), B4151, B4152 OXLEY A449 M6 A461 Kingswinford to Halesowen A459, A4101 A38 WEDNESF ELD A34 Lichfield to Wednesbury A461, A4148 A41 A460 North and South Coventry A429, A444, A4053, A4114(S), B4098, B4110, B4113 A4124 A462 A454 Northfield to Wolverhampton A4123, B4121 10 WALSALL A454 A454 Pensnett to Oldbury A461, A4034, A4100, B4179 WOLVERHAMPTON Sedgley to Birmingham A457, A4030, A4033, A4034, A4092, A4182, A4252, B4125, B4135 SUTTON T3 Solihull to Birmingham A34(S), A41, A4167, B4145 A4038 A4148 COLDF ELD PENN B LSTON 9 A449 Stourbridge to Wednesbury A461, A4036, A4037, A4098 A4123 M6 Stourbridge to A449, A460, A491 A463 8 7 WEDNESBURY M6 Toll North of Wolverhampton A4041 A452 A5127 UK Central to Brownhills A452 WEST M42 A4031 9 A4037 BROMW CH K NGSTAND NG West Bromwich Route A4031, A4041 A34 GREAT BARR M6 SEDGLEY West of Birmingham A456, A458, B4124 A459 M5 A38 A461 ERD NGTON Wednesfield to Wednesbury A462, A4038 A41 PERRY BARR Wolverhampton to Brownhills A4124 1 A457 A4182 A452 DUDLEY 6 5 A446 Wolverhampton to Halesowen A459, B4171 PENSNETT OLDBURY A4123 A38(M) M6 A5, A45, A46, A446, A452 Operated by Highways England – Trunk Roads – not part of KRN A4101 A47 A4252 B4171 M5 A4040 Strategic Road Network Operated by Highways England – Motorways – not part of KRN K NGSW NFORD A459 SALTLEY 2 SMETHW CK A4040 M6 Toll Operated by Midland Expressway Limited – not part of KRN A4036 A491 BRMNGHAM 7a BEARWOOD A4030 7 4 3a BR ERLEY A456 A4540 YARDLEY 3 H LL A4100 M6 HARBORNE WARW CKSH RE A45 Birmingham A458 Airpot A452 STOURBR DGE A38 HALESOWEN 3 A444 6 M69 A45 A435 MER DEN FOLESH LL SELLY MOSELEY A45 B4098 A456 B4121 OAK 2 A41 A441 A4040 HALL GREEN WALSGRAVE M6 A34 A38 B4113 A4114 A444 NORTHF ELD SOL HULL A4600 M5 5 WORCESTERSH RE COVENTRY A428 A45 A4082 M42 A429 A46 4 4 A46 M5 A38 4a 1 2 3 3a 0 1km 2km 3km 4km 5km M42 M40 West Midlands Key Route Network (KRN) Map, Version 1.0, August 2017 2 0 1m 2m 3m 4m 5m M5 Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right (2017) ROUTE DESCRIPTION ROUTE The Black Country route is an 11 mile/18km This is a vital connection within the Black Wolverhampton to Halesowen section of the West Midlands Key Route Network Country and is crucial for freight movements (KRN), providing strategic regional connectivity to the M6 and M5 motorways. This link further • A463 Bilston Street/A459 across the West Midlands. It links the strategic enables connectivity to West Midlands region, Wolverhampton Road centres of Walsall and Wolverhampton and the north, south and southwest of England. provides access to the Midlands motorway In addition, the route also forms a number of With the exception of the sections of the route network and to the Walsall Enterprise Zone sites. connections to other routes on the Key Route in Wolverhampton between Dean’s Road and The Black Country route is formed of the A454, Network. These are: Union Mill Street and the A463 between the A463 and A4444. It is an essential route for Birmingham New Road and Sedgley in Dudley, freight movements, commuters and for accessing Stourbridge to North of the route is dual carriageway throughout. The employment opportunities across the Black A454 in Walsall, from its junction with the A4148, Country and the wider region. Wolverhampton passes through the residential community on Wolverhampton Road as the route heads Across the region the route provides an • A454 Middle Cross/A4150 west towards M6 junction 10. Continuing important sub-regional strategic link particularly Wolverhampton Ring Road west towards the junction with The Keyway, for Walsall, Wolverhampton and Dudley. It there is no frontage development. However, connects these areas directly to the Strategic Lichfield to Wednesbury the section of the route between the Keyway Road Network (SRN) at M6 junction 10. junction and Portobello provides access to local Within the Black Country, this route supports • A454 Wolverhampton Road/A4148 businesses and communities in Willenhall. From economic growth and is essential for attracting Pleck Road the Portobello Island to where the route meets new business opportunities to the area, the Wolverhampton Ring Road at Bilston Street particular to the Enterprise Zone. It also enables Island, it is bordered by residential and business the movement of goods and services from Black Country to Birmingham premises throughout. This part of the route also employment sites, requiring access to the M6 provides vehicular access to Wolverhampton • A4444 Black Country New Road/A41 and M5 motorways. Railway Station. High Street, Moxley • A463 Black Country Route/A41 The Black Country Route has the following The section of the route heading west on Oxford Street connection to the SRN operated by Highways the A463 from the Keyway junction provides England: access to services, commercial businesses and Northfield to Wolverhampton residential properties in Darlaston and Bilston. • A454 Black Country Route The A463, which falls in Dudley, primarily serves to M6 Junction 10 • A463 Black Country Route/A4123 residential communities and enables access to Birmingham New Road the local centre at Sedgley. 3 L CHF ELD Key Facts Route Length: 11 miles/18km STAFFORDSH RE Volume of Traffic in 2016: *174.35 million vehicle kilometres Main Centres served: Walsall and Wolverhampton WALSALL Coordinating Highway Authority: WOLVERHAMPTON West Midlands Combined Authority Responsible Local Highway Authority: City of Wolverhampton Council, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council and WEST Walsall Council BROMW CH Number of KSI collisions 2014-2016: 19 DUDLEY *This figure has been calculated using AADT link data. Flows on minor roads such as B roads therefore may not be included. BRMNGHAM WARW CKSH RE WORCESTERSH RE SOL HULL COVENTRY Figure 2 4 ROUTE PERFORMANCE ROUTE Congestion, Delay, Reliability Table 1: AM Peak Congestion Related Delays This route represents 3% of the total length Road Location Direction of the West Midlands Key Route Network. According to the latest data available from 2016, A463 Gospel End Street, Vicar Street to Bull Ring, Sedgley Eastbound this route had a minimum annual average daily flow (AADF) of 11,700 vehicles, a maximum of A463 Bilston Street, School Street to A459 High Street, Sedgley Westbound 41,700 with an average of 25,700 AADF. A454 Willenhall Road, Colliery Road to Eastbound Old Heath Road, Wolverhampton There are three main locations along the length of this route where there are significant volumes A454 Willenhall Road, Plascom Road to Lower Walsall Street, Moseley Westbound of traffic congestion. These are: A454 Willenhall Road, Hurstbourne Crescent to Eastbound • From the A454 Keyway Junction up to M6 Neachells Lane, Moseley Village Junction 10 and continuing along the A454 A454 Willenhall Road, Uplands Avenue to Westbound Wolverhampton Road to where it meets Stow Heath Lane, Moseley Village the A4148 Pleck Road. This is the most congested section of the route and is being A454 Willenhall Road, Somerford Place/New Street to Westbound addressed through a major infrastructure Neachells Lane, Portobello improvement at M6 Junction 10 with the A454 Willenhall Road, Noose Lane to Eastbound start of works scheduled for 2018. Somerford Place/New Street, Portobello • Along the Willenhall Road from its junction with Neachells Lane to where A454 Black Country Route, The Keyway, Willenhall, Eastbound the route meets the A4150 Wolverhampton to M6 Junction 10, Bentley Ring Road. A454 Wolverhampton Road, M6 Junction 10 (including gyratory) to Eastbound • The short stretch of the route through Bloxwich Lane, Bentley the Bilston Urban Village along the A463 from the A41 Oxford Street junction to the A454 Wolverhampton Road, Bloxwich Lane, Bentley, to M6 Junction 10 Westbound Coseley Road junction. A454 Wolverhampton Road, A4148 Pleck Road to Westbound Primley Avenue, Walsall The locations of the most significant congestion-related delays (>60 sec/km) are A454 Wolverhampton Road, Lane Avenue to A4148 Pleck Road, Walsall Eastbound set out in Tables 1 and 2. 5 ROUTE PERFORMANCE ROUTE Peak hour journey time on the sections of the Table 2: PM Peak Congestion-Related Delays route experiencing the highest delays has been found to be 150% higher than (i.e. 2½ times) the equivalent free flow time, which is based on the Road Location Direction average journey time between 22:00 – 06:00. A463 Black Country Route, A41 Oxford Street to Westbound Bankfield Road, Bilston A particular impact of the congestion is to create problems with access to Wolverhampton Station, A454 Middle Cross/Lower Horsley Fields, Cross Street Westbound New Cross Hospital, Walsall Manor Hospital to A4150 Wolverhampton Ring Road and the Wednesfield, Willenhall, Bilston and A454 Willenhall Road, Cross Street to Neachells Lane, Eastbound Wednesbury industrial areas which may supply Moseley Village to companies that rely on just-in-time deliveries. A454 Willenhall Road, Somerford Place/New Street Westbound to Neachells Lane, Portobello Average Speeds A454 Willenhall Road, Noose Lane to Eastbound Somerford Place/New Street, Portobello The average speed for the route in the AM Peak is between 10-20 mph throughout its A454 Black Country Route, The Keyway, Willenhall, to Eastbound busiest sections.