Work on the Stafford Western Access Route begins
Work is getting underway on the multi-million pound Stafford Western Access Route (SWAR) this month.
The SWAR, which is essentially a new outer ring road that will link A34 Foregate Street at Madford Retail Park to the A518 Newport Road Castlefields junction, and will be used to relieve traffic and also open up new development areas for housing and employment sites.
Stafford is a strategically important area nationally, with great digital and transport connections, and a skilled workforce.
The SWAR is an important part of realising Stafford's ambitious growth plans, enabling future development contained in Stafford Borough Council's Gateway Masterplan – notably the delivery of thousands of new homes and business, office and retail space. It will also reduce congestion in the town centre, particularly around the railway station, and pave the way for the potential of HS2 to be realised.
The scheme will include improved conditions for bus services, pedestrians and cyclists. There will also be environmental benefits through the redevelopment of areas of derelict land and landscaping along the route.
The majority of the work will be paid for by the developers, with and additional £15.5million secured by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s Local Growth Fund.
Most of the construction of the SWAR will be taking place off the existing road network, and will not start until 2021.
A full closure of Doxey Road will need to be put in place for one weekend in early 2021 and again for four weeks just afterwards. The four-week closure will only take place when the new section of road from Doxey Road to Castlefields is open, and motorists will only face a short diversion.
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