Speaking after a visit to the planned route of the road near Featherstone in Staffordshire, Minister for Future Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP said the decision to go ahead with the heavily delayed scheme was a "no-brainer" for the Government. Funding for the heavily delayed link road project, set to provide a direct link between the M54 and the M6 northbound at a cost of around £200m, was given the green light in July. The scheme, originally approved in 2022 but effectively mothballed almost immediately by the previous government, is still without a principle contractor after Bam Nuttall quit the project in 2023. Thoughts will now move to appointing a replacement builder as funding for the scheme is made available, but the Government says a full construction timetable will not be announced until it unveils its third Road Investment Strategy, due later this year. "We're really pleased that after the spending review we've been able to confirm that the M54/M6 link road is going ahead," she said. "We've just been for a drive down the A460 and you can see the level of congestion and the impact that's having on people who live in Shareshill and Featherstone and lots of that traffic is freight. "We've committed to funding this project and we understand how important it is for the region, for the country. It's going to connect people to jobs, to particularly enable logistics businesses - we're right next to JLR and it's really important to businesses of all sizes that they can get their products out - so we know how important this road is. "You can see how that's going to really change the economics, it's going to bring businesses to the area, and particularly for logistics busineses which are so important not just for the entire country but particularly to the West Midlands. It's a no-brainer and that's why we were really pleased to be able to give it the green light." The scheme will see around 2.5km of road constructed near the existing A460 in Featherstone, a 30mph mostly residential road which experiences heavy congestion due to the number of cars currently using it to access the M6. According to official figures, traffic on local roads will be reduced by up to 80 per cent, with around £630 million in economic benefits set to be delivered to the region over the next 60 years. Around 26,000 vehicles queue up on the 30mph A460 every year, with trucks and lorries making up around 10 per cent of that traffic. The Government says the new link road will also provide better connectivity for the new "Strategic Rail Freight Interchange" at Four Ashes, a major new railfreight hub which is set to accommodate up to ten long freight trains per day, alongside 800,000 square metres of warehousing and service buildings. Consent for the link road was originally granted in April 2022 - but work was suspended almost immediately by then transport secretary Grant Shapps to investigate "environmental concerns" with the scheme. Principal contractor Bam Nuttall quit the project in 2023 with its future still in doubt, with National Highways announcing in September last year that it was still seeking a replacement builder for the scheme. Some works have already been completed on site, including moving a gas main supply, with detailed ecological surveys now set to be carried out over the remainder of this year. "Already preparatory works are underway, and National Highways are working hard to confirm their delivery partner," added Ms Greenwood. "The timetable will be confirmed as part of the roads investment strategy which has to be published by the end of March, but people can feel confident that this project is going ahead. "Work has got to start by 2027 because that's the terms of the development consent order so people will start to see things happening." Announcing approval for the scheme earlier this year, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the scheme, along with 50 other new road infrastructure projects approved as part of the Government's spending review, would "deliver a new era of renewal and opportunity" for the country. Ruth Ross, Chief Executive of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce, said good transport links were essential for the county's economy, adding that completion of the scheme would be "good for business". "The transport and logistics sector is a very important part of the Shropshire economy - our central location is an incredibly powerful selling point when it comes to marketing the county for inward investment. This only works, however, if we have reliable and efficient transport links," she said. “This link road project will level the playing field for Shropshire, making it just as easy to access the northbound carriageway of the M6 as it has been for the southbound route for many years. If it reduces congestion on surrounding roads and cuts down travel times, it can only be good for business and for the appeal of Shropshire as a destination." Managing Director of Telford garage business EAC Adam Hilton, added he felt the road would be "highly beneficial" to the region. "A direct motorway connection between the M54 and the M6 north will significantly reduce congestion on surrounding roads, improve reliability for deliveries, and make travel times far more predictable," he said. "This will help us operate more efficiently and strengthen our links to suppliers and customers across the Midlands and beyond. “Improved connectivity to Telford is also likely to attract more business investment into the area, which is a positive step for economic growth. This project represents a much-needed infrastructure improvement that will have a lasting, positive impact.”