The Secretary of State for Transport has granted consent for a new link road between the M54 and M6. The £200 million scheme, which has been years in the planning, is located between M54 Junction 1 and M6 Junction 11 adjacent to the town of Featherstone. The new dual carriageway road between M54 Junction 1 and M6 Junction 11 should reduce congestion on local roads especially the A460 and A449.
A totally new junction one will be built on the M54 junction to provide direct links to and from the M54 and the new link road and the local routes. Hilton Lane will need to be realigned over the new link road and a new junction will be created at M6 Junction 11 increasing capacity and a new link to Mill Lane.
Due to the size of the project the Planning Inspectorate recognised there would be a need for compulsory purchase orders on land where the link road will be built. Writing the report Robert Jackson said: “We have considered the case for Compulsory Acquisition (CA) and Temporary Possession (TP) of land and rights in order to implement the Proposed Development and are satisfied that the CA and TP powers sought by the Applicant are justified and should be granted.