Dudley Interchange Highway Works

Our Dudley Interchange scheme involved the road realignment and widening of the existing Trindle Road and St Joseph Street in Dudley to facilitate the future development of the metro and bus station. The £2.8m scheme was delivered for Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council off the Black Country Framework for Minor Works.

 Our scope of works involved the demolition and disposal of offices and industrial units, along with the breaking out of the existing car park, hard areas, and sections of St Joseph Street to enable two-way traffic. Drainage and ducting for the new carriageway were installed and footways widened. The St Joseph / Trindle Road junction was upgraded with two-way signalisation. A new King Post wall with stairs into Bourne Street Car Park was constructed, along with a new Church wall, built in line with listed building requirements.

We implemented a number of initiatives to provide savings for DMBC:

Granite paving: To support value engineering without compromising design intent, we explored alternatives to the specified granite paving on St Joseph Street. Drawing on our experience at our Infrastructure Scheme at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) headquarters in Nuneaton, we evaluated, proposed and delivered a high-quality resin-bound paving alternative, resulting in a saving of £40,000 to DMBC.

Carriageway provision: The initial design allowed for the existing carriageway to be fully excavated and replaced. By assessing the condition and depth of existing construction through taking cores, we identified areas where only surface deterioration was present, enabling full resurfacing only where necessary. This targeted approach delivered savings in excess of £50,00 to DMBC whilst maintaining pavement integrity.

Heritage stone wall: The initial design required an existing heritage stone wall to be taken down and rebuilt adjacent to the church. Through working closely with the Conversation Officer, the Engineer and our Stonemason, we rationalised the design using a mixture of new and existing stonework. Whilst the savings achieved were minimal (circa £5,000), we met key drivers associated with satisfying the heritage and restoration requirements of the Conservation Officer whilst not exceeding the budget or impacting programme.

Other key project challenges included:

Mitigating impacts on the local Church: The existing church car park at Our Blessed Lady & St. Thomas of Canterbury Catholic Church was to be fully excavated and reconstructed. However, initial trial holes found numerous graves within 350mm of the existing ground level. To overcome this, whilst ensuring efficient working practices, we proposed a Grasscrete system that required only 100mm of excavation. This meant the car park could be constructed without impacting the graves, avoiding significant delays to the project.

Managing construction interfaces: During the construction of a new car park at the top of Bourne Street, adjacent to Birmingham Street where the Midland Metro extension was underway, we faced challenges with level differences and restricted widths. To address these, we constructed a King Post Retaining Wall, working closely with DMBC scheme designers to provide constructability advice and refine the design. The works included piling and installation of in-fill concrete panels. To coordinate effectively with the Metro works, we opened up the rear of the retaining wall, enabling the Metro contractors to progress their activities while we advanced with the car park construction in parallel. This proactive approach removed the risk of delays to either programme, and ensured smooth interface management between both projects.

Demonstrating our commitment to innovation and health and safety, when undertaking kerb laying we used a vacuum kerb lifter for the installation of granite kerbing to meet DMBC standards. The machine allowed the team to lay 250–300 metres of kerbs per day, streamlining progress and saving time and cost. It also significantly reduced manual handling, meaning less strain on our teams and fewer risks on site. The mechanical lifting ensured operatives could concentrate on accurate level and finish, resulting in consistently high-quality outcomes.

The scheme was successfully completed on time and on budget. The works have played a crucial role in the provision of the new Dudley Interchange, a transport hub that will allow passengers to switch seamlessly between bus services and the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Midland Metro extension. The new interchange is being badged as a key part of the regeneration of Dudley Town Centre.

‘The professional approach undertaken by Fitzgerald’s ensures the Local Authority can have complete confidence in the delivery of the scheme. This is essential in the current climate, and I look forward to working with Fitzgerald’s again in the near future’

Simon Hunt Highway Group Manager Transport & Highway Services Dudley Council