Keeping Selly Oak Moving

1.52.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 9th Jul 2009

Councillors Robert Wright and Dave Radcliffe have welcomed the completion of the first phase of the Selly Oak New Road and the start of the second phase.

Local councillors have welcomed the news that work on the Phase 2 of the Selly Oak New Road has started. Councillor Dave Radcliffe said: "This road is needed for access to the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital. But, when completed, it will also enable improvements to be made along the Bristol Road in the local shopping centre."

Work on the Phase 2 of the new road began after the Council worked with developers, the Hospital Trust, Advantage West Midlands and central Government to find the money.

It is hoped that that up to 160 construction jobs will be created in the area after Birmingham City Council awarded the £16m contract for the construction of Phase 2 of the Selly Oak New Road in June 2009. Phase 2 of the road run from Bristol Road at Tesco Express to link up with the recently completed first phase of the road and the new roundabout on Harborne Lane. The main feature of Phase 2 will be the construction of two new bridges to carry the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway and the Birmingham & Worcester Canal over the new road.

Work on Phase 2 of the Selly Oak New Road has started this summer and is planned to finish in spring 2011, about 6 months before the final section of the new Queen Elizabeth hospital opens.

It is eventually intended that the A38 will follow the Selly Oak New Road, allowing improvements to the Bristol Road between Oak Tree Lane and Tesco Express in Bournbrook. This will not be possible until Sainsburys have built a new store on the Battery Park site and Harborne Lane from Bristol Road can be widened.

Related Link:

Selly Oak New Road - Birmingham City Council Website.