A plan to improve Staffordshire’s roads is making an impact on the county network a year after it was launched.
The Road Map to a Better Network sets out how the council will fix more roads, protect vital bridges, and cut the repair backlog, all while delivering better value for money and pushing for fairer funding from government.
While to roadmap is already making a difference, highways leaders say it is work in progress with a road network of more than 4,000 miles and with hard work ahead. Its four priority areas are:
Fixing roads properly: This includes increasing whole-road and full-lane repairs to deliver longer-lasting improvements and reduce future disruption – such as recent repairs to the A518 near Stafford following a fuel spill. Improved condition surveys are also helping identify problems earlier.
Providing smarter delivery: Using technology and local teams to identify and repair defects more quickly, while working more closely with utility companies and neighbouring authorities to better co-ordinate roadworks and minimise disruption.
Bringing better value: Investing an additional £15 million in road repairs and improving efficiency so more funding reaches the network. Teams repaired 5,000 potholes and defects in September alone, the highest monthly total to date.
Fighting for Staffordshire: Pressing government for long-term, fairer highways funding, including a £40.3 million request towards the £46.3 million Chetwynd Bridge scheme. Meanwhile major bridge improvements are also progressing, including the completed Wodehouse Lane Bridge and Wolseley Bridge scheme between Stafford and Rugeley.
Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways, said:
Good roads matter to everyone. They connect us every day to work, school, shops and places of leisure. That’s why it was a priority to us to put in an improvement plan which focused on key areas and where people could see a difference.
Our roadmap is our commitment to doing things differently. A year after we launched we can see it’s had an impact. However this is very much work in progress and we know we need to maintain this momentum. We’ve campaigned for the essential funding we need to improve our bridges and structures, ensured utility companies are doing everything they can to coordinate works to reduce disruption and we’re carrying out more extensive repairs where possible, so we don’t need to return to that site soon.
And we’ve invested more in fixing potholes which we know are always a big issue. Ultimately this is all about keeping Staffordshire moving.”
