Highways crews from Staffordshire County Council will be going the extra mile to repair more roads and drainage over the next 12 months.

With last winter being one of the wettest and stormiest on record, crews have seen a major increase in reported defects compared to previous years.

Now, the county council has launched a year-long focus on fixing the county’s roads, which will see more money and crews carrying out pothole repairs and tackling drainage issues over the next 12 months.

The plan means nearly £8 million will be invested into getting potholes repaired more quickly, and reducing the amount of defects in the system.

Money will also be spent on improving drainage, and work aimed at preparing for more extreme weather events in the future.

It will also ensure that crews can keep using the latest technology, such as the JCB Pothole Pro, Roadmaster and Thermal Road Repairs to repair defects quickly and efficiently.

This is in addition to the £53 million being spent on a range of major projects, vital road improvements and general road maintenance in 24/25.

A £860,000 highways improvement scheme to resurface Meadows Way in Biddulph will commence at the start of June. 

The works will take place on the A527 Meadows Way between the Wharf Road roundabout and the Tunstall Road roundabout.  

Crews will completely resurface the carriageway, replacing ironwork where necessary and replacing damaged kerbs as part of a £860,000 investment into the local area. This is part of a wider £50 million county council investment in Staffordshire’s roads over the next three years. 

The scheme is scheduled to start on Monday 3 June and the work is expected to take around four weeks under lane closures. 

Weather permitting, overnight road closures will be in place for both roundabouts from 21 June until 1 July so that carriageway resurfacing can take place at minimum disruption to the public.   

A main road leading into Stafford has reopened after a 12-week improvement scheme.

The A449 Wolverhampton Road is now fully open following completion of the scheme, which has seen resurfacing and improvements to pavements and kerbs. Work has taken place on the section between the A34/A449 roundabout to Ingestre Road and the railway bridge.

The £650,000 investment will give the road a long-term lifespan of between 20 and 30 years.

During the scheme, a one-way closure was in place, with traffic able to travel northbound, and some full closures were also needed.

Work has been completed ahead of other significant schemes in Stafford including A34 Gaol Square and A34 Weeping Cross.

A green space in Aston-by-Stone has been transformed thanks to highways teams and Stone Rural Parish Council.

The area surrounds a 110-year-old memorial tree, which over time had been encroached by cars, the roots of the tree were being damaged, and the area had become untidy. Being a central space in the village and on the route of the Two Saints Way (a much-travelled pilgrim route) residents had expressed concern over the deterioration of the area. 

The Parish Council worked alongside Paula Lees, Community Highways Engagement Officer, to determine a scheme for the garden and authorise works on highways land. The garden now includes a memorial bench, information panel – celebrating the village’s part of the Two Saints Way – and planting to encourage pollinating insects.  

Stone Rural Parish Council is delighted to be able to provide a green space for the benefit of residents and this transformation could not have been achieved without the input, support and guidance of the county council's highways department.