Warwickshire County Council have announced that the new £38m scheme for improvement works on the A46 Stoneleigh Junction will begin this month.

The works between Kenilworth and Coventry will include a new bridge across the A46 and realigned slip roads forming the basis of a new signalised gyratory system. A CGI model of the completed works can be seen in the attached photograph.

Main works will commence in November 2020, with the construction of the contractors site offices and works compound, and are programmed to be completed by summer 2022.

The project comes in an attempt to reduce delays and queuing traffic as well as improve road safety for all users and ensure the junction has the capacity that will be required to meet future growth.

With increased traffic demand for Warwick University and the surrounding business parks, the improvements are intended to ease congestion not only on the A46, but also on the surrounding roads. The hope is that this will also increase cycling numbers on smaller roads as traffic reduces.

WCC in partnership with Coventry City Council and Warwick District Council have already awarded a contract for the works to Colas-Siac Limited.

The £38m scheme will be funded by Warwickshire County Council, The Department for Transport, the West Midlands Combined Authority with developer contributions from the University of Warwick and Whitley South Works through the Coventry & Warwickshire Development Partnership.

Cllr Jeff Clarke, Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning at Warwickshire County Council welcomed the new scheme, saying "These works will bring real improvements to the experiences of local residents and commuters who use the A46 and the nearby roads that very frequently suffer from congestion.

"The existing junction can no longer cope with the levels of traffic and future development will only make this worse.

"As Warwickshire looks to make an economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to be sure that we remain an excellent place to do business. This scheme will bring much needed capacity into the network and ensure that local businesses have the transport infrastructure that they need."

Roads Minister, Baroness Vere, said: "I am delighted that works to the A46 are starting this month. The project, backed by £19m in Government investment, will help ease congestion and improve safety along the route. It will also provide people with better access to local businesses, help people access job opportunities, and support housing and development sites in the area.

"This Government is committed to levelling up transport infrastructure across the country and these works will make a very real difference to the everyday lives of people in Coventry and Warwickshire as we look to build back better."

You can find out more and follow the progress of the scheme throughout the construction period by visiting the Warwickshire County Council website.