November 2024

Your Highways Newsletter for Stafford Borough

Welcome to your monthly highways newsletter for Stafford and Stone - keeping you up to date with upcoming schemes, completed projects and repairs

Vital bridge strengthening supports ongoing A34 scheme in Stafford

Vital strengthening work of two bridges which serve a major road route into Stafford is now complete as part of a multi-million-pound package of improvements which are set to be completed next year.

The scheme on the A34 from Weeping Cross towards the town centre got under way in the summer. It has included vital strengthening and repairs to the Grade II Listed Radford Bridge over the River Sow and Queensville rail bridge – both with differing and complex structural requirements.

Whilst much of this work has taken place under the bridge decks and their parapets, traffic management has been necessary so that it can be carried out safely and as quickly as possible to minimise disruption along a busy route into the town.

At Radford Bridge (pictured), work has included replacing eroded stone bridge columns and rebuilding the parapet wall, while at Queensville rail bridge new steel plates have been installed to strengthen the existing steelwork. This work needed to be run to a tight schedule as it involved a series of night-time possession of the rail track. Like most older bridge structures across the county, they were not originally built to take today’s traffic weight and volume and so need continual monitoring and strengthening work from time to time.

A one-way operation is in place towards town along Radford Bank and this is due to be lifted on Monday 15 December. There will be traffic management into 2025, though Radford Bank will remain two-way.

Staffordshire County Council’s strategic cabinet member for highways Mark Deaville said: “We know that with any scheme like this there will be considerable disruption, but the majority of people have been patient and understanding which we’d like to thank them for.

“This is a complex and carefully planned project. It has included significant strengthening and maintenance work of the two bridges which is vital to the scheme as they carry a significant volume of traffic.

“Much of this work takes place under the bridge decks, some of it overnight, and so it is quite literally overlooked by most people. This usually needs traffic management over the bridge so we’re keen to ensure people are aware when it’s taking place."

Gritters in action as winter officially gets under way

Staffordshire’s gritting crews have rolled out countywide for the first time this season, after temperatures dropped below freezing. 

The county council’s fleet of 38 gritters were in action after sleet and snow fell across Staffordshire, including Stafford and Stone last week.

Armed with more than 20,000 tonnes of salt stockpiled, highways crews are equipped to battle any adverse weather conditions coming Staffordshire’s way.

Temperatures and road conditions across the network are monitored from weather stations across the county, and a team of winter decision makers make the call on whether to roll out the gritters.

On routine winter days and nights gritting crews will be focusing on the major routes and extending to the wider network in prolonged ice and snow conditions.

Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways Mark Deaville said: “Our gritting crews put their vehicles to the test back in October, to ensure they were in the best condition for the coming winter. This will be the first time this season that they’ve rolled out across the county, so will really be great practice for when the really bad weather hits.'

“Regardless of whether a road has been gritted, in icy and snowy conditions motorists need to slow down, take extra care and allow more time for their journeys.”

Nearly 20,000 potholes repaired

Nearly 20,000 potholes have been filled since the county council invested a further £8 million to fix more roads across Staffordshire. 

Staffordshire County Council announced the additional highways funding back in May, which has paid for extra highways teams to tackle potholes and drainage problems across the county. 

The investment is already seeing a wealth of benefits for Staffordshire’s roads with nearly 20,000 potholes filled since May and almost 40% more gullies emptied between July and September this year, compared to the same time last year.

Upcoming and continuing works

• A34 Weeping Cross/Radford Bank Stafford (major ongoing structural scheme)
• Stafford: Doxey Road (Dec 5 and 6), Dickson Road (Dec 17 and 18)
• Stone: High Street (Dec 10 and 11), The Avenue (Dec 2 to 6)
• Chebsey: School Lane (Dec 16 to 20)
• Great Bridgeford: Eccleshall Road (Dec 9 and 10)

I want to take the time to thank you for your patience whilst important highways work takes place across the borough. We are delivering a huge repair programme that will see us double down on fixing more roads across Staffordshire over the next year. We understand that road works can cause inconvenience but they are necessary to maintain and improve our highways network. Please be assured that our crews will continue to do their best to reduce disruption as much as possible. See you next month. County Councillor Keith Flunder Cabinet Support Member for Highways North

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