An extra £16 million has been set aside for an already over-budget and much-delayed project to build a new bridge and roundabout at the A46 Stoneleigh junction - and that figure could rise yet further.

Warwickshire County Council (WCC) is two-and-a-half years behind on the major infrastructure project which was due to cost £38 million.

The local authority had already revealed the project is £4.7 million over budget, but at today's cabinet meeting, deputy leader Cllr Peter Butlin revealed the council has earmarked a huge amount of extra funding as the project remains in the balance.

The new junction was initially expected to be finished in summer 2022.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Sarah Boad asked for an update on the project and when a final figure for the "moveable feast" would be confirmed.

In response, Cllr Butlin said: "The answer is we have put an extra '£16 point-something-million' into that project because we needed a design alteration. 

"But in terms of whether or not we need any or more money above and beyond, at this moment in time we don't know because it is still a negotiation with contractors."

The so-called 'bridge to nowhere' which was installed over the dual carriageway in early 2023 stands as a constant reminder that little progress has been made on the site for months, with the local authority last year revealing the scheme was being redesigned.

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An end date for the project - which was started to help ease traffic and congestion in the area - is yet to be confirmed. The local authority has already admitted that negotiations continue on finalising the project.

WCC has blamed a supply issue with materials for the new embankments for some of the delays.

The council has also agreed to publish more regular updates on the project. An update was published on the WCC website in November - the first for over a year.