Motorists travelling in and out of Stafford are facing traffic chaos as three of the main road arteries leading into town are under roadworks.
The Wolverhampton Road, a busy route during rush hour already, is suffering the worst of the problems plaguing roads throughout the town, after the county council ordered the closure of Lea Crescent, connecting Burton Manor Road and West Way, introduced a one-way system on West Way and reduced speeds to 10mph.
Workmen are pictured at the junction of West Way and Wolverhampton Road, Stafford. Although Staffordshire County Council has assured drivers that the work will be completed by Friday, October 20, the orders would, in principle allow the resurfacing work to go one for a year-and-a-half.
A public notice even states: “In the unlikely event that the works are not completed within eighteen months the Order may be extended for a further period for the Secretary of State.”
Traffic going into Stafford on the A449 Stafford to Wolverhampton Road was backed up from the town centre, two miles to Tesco Express store and commuters trying to get out of the town were also facing delays due to a one-way system on the busy West Way.
The section of West Way affected includes the area between its junction with Barnes Road and the A449 and those using the one-way system are being restricted to 10mph.
The A449 is frequently being dug-up by utilities companies and the council’s own highways team. Traffic flows in the area were disrupted for six weeks this summer, when Silkmore Lane was operating a one-way system and the previous summer sections of the A449 were closed for a total of three months for resurfacing and gas works.
In addition to the problems on the A449, the A518 Stafford to Weston road currently has two-way traffic lights in place close to the County showground. These works are also causing problems and tailbacks for people commuting in and out of Stafford to Uttoxeter.
The third major road works are going on the A513 Milford Road, leading from Stafford to Rugeley and Lichfield. A 70-metre stretch of Kitlings Lane, Walton-on-the-Hill, Stafford has been closed to traffic while gas main renewal work takes place, from its junction with Milford Road. This work also began on Monday.
Steven Jenkins, spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said: “Enormous effort goes into keeping Staffordshire’s half-a-million cars on the move. In an increasingly technological world people expect more services, new homes, new businesses and improved communications networks, but without any disruption to the roads network. Utility and communications companies, builders and developers all want to access their cables, and pipes, wires and drains, and install new ones.
“That adds up to almost 40,000 holes in the roads network every year. Every new development needs new junctions and highway improvements too. It’s an incredibly demanding job and the pressures are enormous.”
By Sally Walmsley
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