Traffic chaos as sewer collapses

Motorists in Stafford town centre have endured more long delays after a sewer collapsed underneath one of the town's busiest roads.

Drivers faced delays of up to an hour along the Lichfield Road to Radford Bank following the collapse on Monday.

Queuing traffic was backed up in both directions along the A34 as temporary traffic lights were installed by Severn Trent Water to begin repairs.

The delays have combined with planned roadworks on the Newport Road, another of the town's busiest routes, to make travel through Stafford at peak times a nightmare.

Workmen started work to repair the sewer during the day on Monday but had to stop after the discovery of a cast iron gas main running in the same trench.

For safety reasons the repairs have been delayed while the water company liaises with National Grid Gas to investigate whether the pipe is live.

Due to the delay Severn Trent removed the temporary traffic lights last night but the company has warned it is unable to complete the repairs until the investigations are complete. National Grid Gas was due to inform the water company about the status of the gas mains today.

Bosses at Severn Trent have said the repairs will be carried out by lunchtime today if the gas main is disused but if it is live then the traffic lights will return and motorists could face even longer delays.

Gill Dickinson, spokesman for Severn Trent said: "We do apologise to motorists and local people for any inconvenience our emergency works are causing.

"We'd like to assure people that as soon as the status of the gas main has been identified, and the appropriate action taken to allow us to safely continue, we will complete the work as swiftly as we can. In the meantime, we thank people for their patience."

She said the temporary traffic lights were needed to control traffic flows along the busy route and to allow workmen to work safely.

She added: "During the excavation we found a cast iron gas main running in the same trench. As a result, for safety reasons, we have had to delay the works and ask for help from

National Grid Gas which is investigating whether the pipe is live, or has been decommissioned. Until this has been done, we're unable to complete the repairs."

Severn Trent was forced to carry out emergency repairs to a water main beneath Newport Road on Friday after a burst in the pipe threatened the water supply to 2,000 homes and businesses.