AN MP has hit out at confirmation from the boss of HS2 that the end of roadworks in Lichfield could be delayed by six months.
The slip road to the A38 has been closed since March this year as part of works to carry the route of the high-speed rail line under the carriageway.
It had been due to reopen in October, but Labour MP Dave Robertson said HS2' CEO Mark Wild had confirmed to him in a meeting that traffic would not be able to use the northbound access until April 2027 due to safety concerns.
The news means the 50mph speed limit on the main A38 carriageway is also likely to remain in place for longer.
Dave Robertson, Labour MP for Lichfield, said residents would be "angry and frustrated" by the news.
Mr Robertson said this was "completely unacceptable news" for the area. He said:
"The continued closure of this slip road has a significant impact – not only on residents in Streethay and Fradley nearby, but also on people and businesses further afield who rely on the A38 every day.
"To now be told that the deadline for reopening the slip road has been missed is yet another bitter blow.
"Our community has already endured years of disruption and was looking forward to finally seeing the end of these roadworks.
"Continued delays and uncertainty undermine the supposed economic benefits of HS2 in our area – meaning we will have faced years of disruption for no gain."
The A38 is a key route for traffic with around 70,000 vehicles using it every day.
But the Labour MP said the latest blow showed that HS2 bosses were still failing to get a grip on the controversial rail project.
He said:
"The HS2 reset announced in May 2026 was supposed to mark the end of broken promises and repeated failures – at the first opportunity to show evidence of real change, the company has failed yet again.
"Communities were given assurances, deadlines were set and expectations were raised – only for those promises to be broken.
"For years, our area has borne the disruption, inconvenience and uncertainty caused by HS2.
"Yet Staffordshire will see no extra trains to any of our stations."
A spokesperson for HS2 said:
"We recognise the frustration for local communities and road users that the A38 northbound slip road at Streethay is closed while we realign the slip road for HS2 works.
"We explored every viable option to open a temporary realignment in October 2026.
"Unfortunately, there is no solution that is considered safe by an independent road safety audit and would meet standards required to protect road users and our workforce.
"Safety is our first priority and we will continue to deliver the permanent realignment and reopen the slip road in April 2027."
