Stafford A34 Improvements

Staffordshire County Council (SCC) has been awarded funding by the Department for Transport under the heading ‘Investing in Mid Staffordshire’s Major Road Network’. Over £6m of this investment will be spent on road and transport improvements along A34 corridor in Stafford between Gaol Square and Weeping Cross. 

The aim of the project is to:

• Better connect people and businesses

• Boost economic productivity.

• Make the local environment along the A34 more attractive for local communities.

• Reduce carbon emissions along this major transport corridor.  

The project will involve work to road lighting and traffic signals, bridge repairs and renewal of failing sections of carriageway construction, which should mean that the chances of potholes occurring are greatly reduced for a considerable time. 

Another key element of the scheme, which was crucial to the success of the funding bid, is the improvement of walking and cycling infrastructure to promote healthier lifestyles. 

In addition, improvements to bus infrastructure will be made, including the introduction of bus priority at traffic lights on the A34. The funding will also be providing three new electric buses for use on the route. 

Working in co-operation with National Grid, the scheme will also incorporate an upgrade of the local electrical power supply. 

There is a lot of work to be done and the county council is trying to reduce the impact on road users and residents by getting it done in one package.

However, it is inevitable that this will have a significant impact on traffic around the town. 

Approval for the scheme was confirmed by the government in September 2023 and all of the work must be completed in early 2025.  This means that the work must be carried out in the next few months to qualify for the funding.

As a result of the very compressed timescale for implementation, proposals will continue to be developed while the earlier stages of the project are under construction.