Dudley Road Improvement Scheme

Across all phases, the project presented substantial technical, logistical and stakeholder challenges.

The corridor passes through a very busy urban environment including City Hospital, major development sites, primary schools and utility infrastructure, including a large primary electricity substation and extensive buried services.

Heavy traffic flows on the A457 required continuous traffic management, temporary lane closures and careful sequencing to maintain network capacity, particularly during peak periods.

Utility diversions were extensive and complex, involving high-voltage cables, gas mains, multiple water mains and telecommunications networks. Site rules restricted mechanical excavation within 500mm of live services, meaning large sections of work would have been extremely time-consuming if traditional methods had been used.

Delivery of Phase 1 was time-critical due to the proximity of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, requiring completion in advance of the event.

Phase 2 introduced further complexity through the design, manufacture and installation of a slim-profile aluminium pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Soho Loop Canal, involving international manufacture, canal closures, major road closures and coordination with senior stakeholders.

Phase 3 involved further highway realignment, drainage upgrades, new signalised junctions and integration with previously completed cycle infrastructure, all while maintaining access to City Hospital and surrounding communities.

Across all phases, the project required constant engagement with Birmingham City Council, statutory undertakers, transport operators, canal authorities, healthcare providers and the general public.

McPhillips adopted a structured, multi-phase delivery strategy combining detailed planning, close stakeholder engagement and innovative construction techniques to manage risk and maintain programme certainty.

For Phase 1 at Western Road, detailed traffic and pedestrian management plans were developed to maintain access while widening the carriageway and constructing new footways, cycle routes, bus lanes, drainage systems, central reservations, lighting and signal-controlled crossings. Regular coordination meetings were held with stakeholders and statutory undertakers to manage the extensive utility diversion programme.

To address excavation restrictions around live services, McPhillips introduced vacuum excavation techniques, significantly accelerating progress while reducing risk to critical infrastructure and improving site safety.

Out-of-hours working, including weekends and nights, was implemented to minimise disruption and ensure completion ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

For Phase 2, McPhillips appointed a specialist bridge installer to act as technical liaison with the German manufacturer of the aluminium footbridge. Early engagement with Birmingham City Council, transport operators and the Canal and River Trust enabled coordinated road and canal closures to be planned months in advance. The bridge installation was successfully undertaken during a controlled Sunday evening closure, with safe viewing areas provided for senior stakeholders and the public.

Phases 2 and 3 also required delivery of long sections of segregated cycle routes, shared pedestrian and cycling spaces, tidal flow bus lanes, side-road crossing upgrades, drainage improvements, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements.

Throughout all phases, McPhillips maintained live traffic management, protected access to City Hospital and local businesses, and coordinated works with adjacent developments to minimise cumulative disruption.

Phase 4 commenced in November 2025 to complete a missing section of the segregated cycle corridor outside the City Hospital frontage and to improve parking facilities at the Treatment Centre, further extending the long-term benefits of the scheme.

• Successful delivery of Phases 1, 2 and 3 of a major transport corridor improvement scheme, with Phase 4 commenced in November 2025.
• Completion of Phase 1 ahead of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, ensuring full readiness for international event traffic and visitors.
• Construction and installation of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the Soho Loop Canal, providing a critical link within Birmingham’s active travel network.
• Delivery of multiple kilometres of segregated cycle routes, widened footways and new bus lanes supporting sustainable transport objectives.
• Significant reduction in congestion and improvement in traffic flow and junction safety along the Dudley Road corridor.
• Safe delivery of extensive utility diversions and highway realignment works with no compromise to critical services including City Hospital operations.

The scheme has delivered long-term economic and social value by supporting clean air targets, encouraging walking and cycling, improving public transport reliability and enhancing access to key healthcare and development sites.

Innovative use of vacuum excavation reduced risk to buried services, improved safety and significantly shortened programme durations for utility-intensive sections of the works.

Early stakeholder engagement and regular coordination meetings ensured that complex works around hospitals, schools, major utilities and transport networks were delivered with minimal disruption.

The successful delivery of the Spring Hill footbridge created a landmark piece of infrastructure and strengthened east–west connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists.

Landscape and biodiversity enhancements introduced throughout later phases have improved environmental quality along the corridor and strengthened the scheme’s sustainability credentials.

The programme has demonstrated McPhillips’ ability to manage long-term, multi-phase frameworks involving complex engineering, evolving scope and intense stakeholder scrutiny, while maintaining consistent quality and delivery performance.