BUILDING work to reduce congestion and improve safety on the A45 has been welcomed across the borough.
The Department for Transport has agreed to fund a large portion of the cost the new A45 South Bridge which is striving to improve a transport link which carries 50,000 vehicles a day.
The new bridge will directly serve Birmingham Airport, the NEC, Jaguar Land Rover and other businesses in the area.
Leader of Solihull Council Coun Bob Sleigh welcomed the announcement and said he is pleased the Department for Transport has provided the some funds for the building work.
He added: “This is the first step to improving key strategic transport links which will bring significant economic benefits to the borough.
“We are now in discussion with our preferred bidder for this major project and will announce further details in due course.”
The Department of Transport will provide up to £8.3 million towards the full project cost of £12 million.
Baroness Kramer said the money the Government is putting into this project is part of a wider economic plan of investment in local and national infrastructure to help drive economic growth.
She added: “This new bridge will reduce congestion and improve safety, and include new pedestrian and cyclist facilities.”
The new bridge will replace the existing 150-year-old structure carrying the westbound carriageway of the A45 over the West Coast Main Line.
It will create an extra westbound running lane and an improved access slip road to Birmingham Airport.
A temporary bridge will be created during the work, allowing the route to remain open throughout.
The main works are due to start in January with completion scheduled for August 2016.
