Severn Trent apologises as Stafford roadworks hell continues

It started back in the Autumn of 2014.

Now after countless delays, thousands of man hours and tens of kilometres of road having been dug up, the end of the Stafford roadworks hell is in sight.

Here Gareth Mead, one of the community managers at Severn Trent who has overseen the whole project, explains what the work has been about, and how he and his team has gone about it.

"As residents know, we've been working in Stafford for a year and a half now, replacing the old water and sewer pipes which have become old and are more prone to leaks and bursts, with brand new ones.

"The £15 million investment into the town will provide a reliable water supply for all of the residents in the area and prevent sewer flooding in customer's homes — which we know can be devastating. It'll also create a sustainable water and sewage network which is essential for the growth and development of the town.

"Throughout the project we've been engaging with our customers and keeping them informed on our progress, that's why, over the past year and a half we've spoken to nearly 500 customers face-to-face to tell them about the work we're doing, this includes the eight drop-in sessions that we've held for local residents to come along and ask any questions or raise any concerns they may have.

"We've spoken with key stakeholders and Staffordshire County Council Highway Department. We've also been in regular contact with local businesses to keep them informed, to minimise disruption to their business.

"Where it was possible, we worked during the school holidays, so as not to cause disruption on busy roads during term time.

"At times we've also postponed work in certain areas and moved on to another road so to not impact on local events, such as the Stafford half marathon and then we've returned to continue, once the event was over. We'll be doing the same for the Iron Man event.

"We'd like to apologise to the local residents that have been affected by our work, particularly in the Radford Bank and Baswich area of the town, where we've had to use temporary traffic lights to keep the public and our workforce safe while we carry out our work.

"We'd also like to thank the local community for their patience and support over the last 18 months, we know that our work is having an impact on the community, however it's a vital project for the expansion of Stafford, and it'll make sure that the area has a sustainable network system that will support the town for many years to come.

"We're very grateful for the understanding shown by local residents and we'll continue to keep everyone updated as we move closer to the final stages of work in the area."