Stafford roadworks misery to return as Beaconside undergoes a revamp
A main road is to undergo a significant revamp in a move which is expected to heap more misery onto drivers.
A stretch of the busy Beaconside route in Stafford is to become a dual carriageway while three new sets of permanent traffic lights are also to be installed on roads connecting to the route.
The changes are being made by Taylor Wimpey. Hundreds more drivers are expected on the A513 because the developer is building 250 homes close to the north of the road.
Drivers on the route have suffered long delays over the past couple of years due to Severn Trent works to upgrade sewage systems and water flows in Stafford.
Under these latest works, which are due to begin 'over the next few weeks', traffic lights will be installed at both Parkside Avenue junctions with Beaconside, as well as at Beaconside's junction with Newbold Drive.
The dual carriageway will run from the roundabout with the A34 to just past the second Parkside Avenue junction.
Work will begin with temporary lights at the Newbold Drive junction before main highway work gets under way at the turn of the year.
Annabelle Harper, a spokeswoman for Taylor Wimpey, said: "The roadworks off the A513 are taking place as part of our planning consent for the Marston Grange site, as established when outline planning permission was granted in 2012.
“The works involve the duelling of the A513 from Redhill Island to just beyond its Parkside junction, as well as construction of a new signal-controlled junction at the interface of the new dual carriageway and Marston Grange development. We are currently in the process of agreeing final details with the highway authority and confirm that temporary traffic lights will be erected over the next few weeks in advance of the main highway works.
“The start date of the main highway works will be confirmed in due course and we will engage with residents before they begin.”
Work is scheduled to finish around the end of July next year.
Developer Akzo Nobel last year also unveiled ambitious plans to build 700 homes, a school and shops on land north of Taylor Wimpey's development.
Drivers were first hit with delays on this stretch of the route back in June 2014 when drains had to be replaced along the road for the housing development.
Beaconside was closed for 10 weeks to traffic heading in the direction of the A34 from the A518 Weston Road from Sandon Road junction.
