Staffordshire has secured a huge funding boost from central Government for local transport projects which will span a seven-year period.

Staffordshire County Council has been allocated nearly £286 million from 2025/26 from the Government's Local Transport Fund.

To mark the announcement, John Glen MP, Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, visited the Branston Interchange site - where the county council is carrying out a major improvement scheme. The project secured a £6 million allocation from the government’s Levelling Up Fund and a £4 million contribution from the main developer of the Branston Locks site, Nurton Developments. Work is set to be completed in spring 2025.

The Local Transport Fund can be used for a range of transport infrastructure improvements, including road junctions and other road improvement schemes, bus lanes, active travel plans, accessibility projects, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, street space improvements, new drainage systems and more. In addition it can help to unlock schemes such as railway station improvements, help meet cost pressures arising on existing transport projects and be used to fund feasibility studies.

You can find out more about the fund on the Government website.

The main aims of the fund are to:

• drive better connectivity within towns, suburbs and cities
• drive better connectivity between towns and cities
• improve everyday local journeys for people

Picture Caption: Deputy Leader Philip White and John Glen MP

Work on a £1.25 million highways improvement scheme in Burton will begin this month.

The scheme on the A5121 Derby Road is part of a wider £6 million investment in the town’s roads over the next two years.

Work will include reconstruction and resurfacing of the road and roundabouts between James Brindley Way and Pirelli Roundabout, along with repairs to drainage systems, kerbing, ironwork and footpaths where required.  The scheme is expected to take approximately 17 weeks to complete.

To ensure the work can be carried out safely and to minimise disruption, temporary traffic lights will be in place for the first seven weeks of the scheme.  Resurfacing phases will follow, requiring a combination of temporary road and lane closures, night time works where required and a signed diversion will be in place.

The Derby Road scheme is being coordinated with the works being carried out at the Branston Interchange A38 junction to ensure that road closures will not be in place on both routes at the same time.

In Burton alone, a major programme of improvements is already underway, giving people smoother journeys.  Schemes already completed in Burton include those at Station Road, Clay Mills, Ashby Road, Wetmore Road and Hawkins Lane.  Further resurfacing works on Horninglow Road North in the vicinity of A38 overbridge, between Horninglow Croft and Farm Road will be completed shortly.

Significant repairs are starting on the A53 carriageway this week, thanks to a £220,000 highways investment. 

The scheme on the A53 Newcastle Road, crossing the Baldwins Gate railway bridge, will see highways crews replacing ironwork and damaged kerbs as they completely resurface the carriageway. 

Temporary traffic lights will be in place from 19 February to 18 March to keep the public and work force safe. Access will be maintained for residents and businesses. 

Weather permitting, the road is currently scheduled to close overnight from 11 March to 13 March from 7pm to 6am so the carriageway can be resurfaced.  

The scheme will cost £220,000 to complete and take around five weeks to complete. 

A £120,000 crossing has been installed on a busy road in Cannock to make walking safer.

The crossing at Hawks Green in Heath Hayes, covers the busy Heath Way, a main route for families walking to nearby schools.

As well as the crossing, the road was partially resurfaced and re-aligned which included the removal of an unused bus stop, and the installation of a speed indication device to encourage drivers to comply to the 30mph speed limit.

The installation took just under four weeks to complete, and also included works to pavements and new road markings.

Local resident Lynn Horton said: “I work at nearby Gorsemoor School, and the journey can be dangerous across this road. The new crossing is great—it has made it much safer for families, dog walkers and everyone else to cross Heath Way, and I’m so pleased it’s finally been installed.”

Well known for being a busy road to cross, local resident and County Councillor Philippa Haden presented a petition on behalf of residents to kick-start the process.  County Council Chairman and local county councillor Phil Hewitt, along with fellow local councillor Johnny McMahon, then prioritised a feasibility study through their Divisional Highway Program. 

Already, the crossing and associated speed indicators have made a big difference to traffic speed in the area.

For more information on the divisional highways programme, visit Staffordshire County Council’s website.

Picture Caption: Philippa Haden, Phil Hewitt and David Williams at the crossing