The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has approved a blueprint that signals the way for a £3.4bn injection into the region’s transport network, including: tram extensions, new regional rail lines, cycle routes and motorway upgrades.

The ‘2026 Delivery Plan for Transport’ underpins the ambitious growth strategy, set out in the WMCA’s Strategic Economic Plan (SEP), to raise Gross Value Added (GVA) per capita to 5% above the national average by 2030. Read the blueprint document by clicking here.

As highlighted in our recent blog published last month, the SEP intends to create 500,000 new jobs by 2030, supported by a population increase of 542,000. This will generate an additional 1.2m journeys every day by 2030, over and above the 8m daily journeys the West Midlands transport network currently accommodates.

In addition to the commuter increase, the transport master plan has aspirations to reduce car use across the West Midlands from 63% to 35 – 45%, and in line with thriving and prosperous large European cities.

To kick start the transport plan, ensuring all areas of the West Midlands are connected to the two new High-Speed 2 stations and the significant development that is already underway at these locations, is fundamental.

Directing transport investment into priority corridors for new jobs and homes, identified within the Spatial Framework, is equally important; a joined up transport and land planning strategy will ensure large-scale communities are built sustainably around the existing transport network and with the least investment required for transport infrastructure.

It will also ease the pressure on the site’s financially viable and enable property developers to make a profit. This in turn means developers will invest further, bringing even greater employment, retail and leisure opportunities to the region.

As the transport network connects more communities with employment, businesses will have greater access to the skilled workforce they need to expand and grow.

At M. Lambe Construction, we have been supporting the Midlands’ growth and development for over 30-years.

• In Cofton Hackett, Birmingham, we are helping St. Modwen deliver a vibrant and sustainable new housing scheme, as part of the multi-million pound regeneration of the former MG Rover site. Our works, include: construction of 185 foundation bases, new roads and sewers, and landscaping.
  On the motorway network, we remodelled the busy junction 2 of the M6 near Coventry. Appointed by Osborne, we constructed an additional lane to the approach from both North and South, as well as around the island itself. Over on the M1, we installed emergency turning areas between junction 20 and 21. These works were carried out at night to avoid disruption to traffic.
  In Dudley, we are working for Keepmoat Homes on an exciting new residential scheme, constructing raft foundations for 130 plots, infrastructure, including: on-site roads and sewers, a balancing pond and public open space (POS) footpaths.

So, if you’d like to work with a civil engineering and groundworks specialist who has been supporting the region’s growth for over 30 years, click here and send us your details or call us on 0121 554 2108 to talk with one of our experts.