Transport minister Lord Hendy has approved the development consent application for the A46 Walsgrave junction upgrade project, which is part of the Trans-Midlands Trade Corridor between the M5 and Humber Ports.鈥�
The scheme has previously been estimated at 拢112m but this estimate is now out of date. With consent granted, National Highways will now work with the main contractor, Octavius Infrastructure, on more detailed plans and updated cost estimates. Construction is expected to begin in autumn 2026, with the scheme opening to traffic in 2028.聽聽
The Walsgrave junction connects the A46 to the B4082 near Coventry and is currently a three-arm priority roundabout, which causes substantial congestion in the area. The new-look junction will allow for a free flowing A46 carriageway while also enabling drivers to enter and exit the local road network.聽
National Highways project manager Emma Winter said: 聽鈥淢otorways and major A roads play a key role in keeping the UK economy moving, carrying a third of all traffic and two thirds of freight. The A46 is a major trade corridor between the southwest, the midlands and the north, which is why we need to remove this bottleneck on the outskirts of Coventry.聽
鈥淭he new-look Walsgrave junction will reduce delays by delivering much-needed additional capacity, better connectivity and safer journeys for the 57,000 drivers using the road every day.鈥�
The scheme is categorised as a nationally significant infrastructure project under the Planning Act 2008, meaning thgat it鈥痳equired a development consent order (DCO) as the equivalent of planning permission to move into the construction phase.鈥�
Octavius Infrastructure was formerly the rail and highways division of Geoffrey Osborne until its sale in 2021 to private equity outfit Sullivan Street Partners, which four years later 鈥� in November 2025 鈥� sold it to the debt-fuelled and acquisitive RSK consultancy group. [See:聽Octavius acquisition moves RSK into tier one contracting]
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