Businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire have been told that the worst of the “Tollbar pain” will be over by August.
The major £150 million reworking of the A45/A46 interchange will see the existing A45 Stonebridge Highway between Stivichall junction and the Tollbar End roundabout widened and an underpass created to take traffic from the A45 Stonebridge Highway on to A46 Coventry Eastern Bypass.
Contractors Galliford Try met the Coventry and Rugby branches of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce to talk through the scheme and businesses were told that the opening of the new roundabout in August would bring a sizeable improvement.
Sandra Garlick, chair of the Coventry branch of the Chamber, said the session had brought home the size of the scheme.
“The Tollbar interchange has been a problem for years and with traffic flows growing, it was only going to get worse. Part of Coventry and Warwickshire’s attraction to investors is its location and connectivity so the work had to be done.
“It is a huge operation involving moving whole carriageways on a regular basis so it was bound to cause interruption and there is no doubt that businesses have suffered through the delays.
“Galliford Try and the Highways Agency have undertaken a consultation programme with local groups and kept the media informed in a bid to ensure motorists have any up-to-date information and that will continue.
“We have offered any help we can, but the news that things should improve after August is very welcome.”
Jim Griffin, chair of the Rugby branch, added: “This junction is critical to the whole region with Rugby and Coventry particularly affected – so it’s great to hear that the pain is nearly over.
“Many businesses are already reporting a big improvement and, once complete, this will bring significant benefits to the region.”