Posted on Tuesday 29th September 2020
Stafford Western Access Route - Foregate Street Junction
Work on a multi-million-pound road project which will support growth and ease congestion in Stafford continues at pace with more milestones reached in recent weeks.
The Stafford Western Access Route project began last summer. The new road will enable millions of pounds worth of new housing and business development to take place. It will also improve traffic flow in the town centre, particularly by the railway station. Construction work has continued safely throughout the pandemic period.
The road is being funded by developers and with £15.5million secured by the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Enterprise Partnership through the Government’s Local Growth Fund.
People can find out more about the scheme at a public information event on Wednesday September 30. This will be by appointment only due to the current Covid-19 restrictions.
Appointments can be booked by emailing: staffordwestern.accessroute@staffordshire.gov.uk
Drone footage of the project site can be seen here: https://youtu.be/SiDuFtnwldw
The road will link the A34 Foregate Street at Madford Retail utu.be/SiDuFtnwldwPark to the A518 Newport Road Castlefields junction. The road will help improve traffic flow in Gaol Square, Newport Road (east of Kingsway), Station Road, Chell Road, A34 Foregate Street (south of the scheme) and Doxey Road.
Recent work has included:
• Completion of all piling works
• Completion of Martin Drive/Rosehill roundabout surfacing works and cycle route between Kingsway and the Burleyfields housing development.
• Rerouting traffic onto the new section of Doxey Road and surfacing of Doxey Road
• Widening works to the entrance of Madford Retail Park
Next month will see the next major project milestone as beams are installed to create the new road bridge over the River Sow.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport David Williams said:
The Stafford Western Access Route is a huge project for the county town and for Staffordshire. It is critical for Stafford’s future growth and so to see the progress so far – particularly considering pandemic restrictions – is rewarding to the county council, communities and our businesses.
The route really is taking shape now and people can see how it will make a difference to the town – enabling both housing and business development and easing congestion in the centre of Stafford and near the railway station.
We want to ensure communities are kept informed and involved, so we hope people will come along to our information day or call in at our new visitor centre.”
LEP chairman Alun Rogers said:
We’re pleased to see such rapid progress at one of our major projects which will deliver growth, attract investment and support job creation for our communities.
Covid-19 has hit our economy hard, as it has nationally, and so continuation of the Stafford Western Access Route and other projects will be vital for our longer-term recovery. The completed route will complement successful delivery of the Stafford Gateway project and our future HS2 connection.
The project demonstrates to people, business, future investors and the Government the successful working across the public and private sectors in Staffordshire.”
Anyone wanting further information about the Stafford Western Access Route can email staffordwestern.accessroute@staffordshire.gov.uk
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.