Posted on Tuesday 18th June 2019
From left to right: John Parkes & Paul Croxton (Amey), Helen Fisher, Cabinet member for Highways & Transport at Staffordshire County Council, Richard Rayson, Staffordshire County Council Highways team, Julia Jessel, County Councillor for East Staffordshir
A highways improvement scheme to improve traffic flow, safety and the attractiveness in the centre of an East Staffordshire village has won a prestigious award.
The Better Barton scheme, delivered by Staffordshire County Council, Barton Parish Council and Amey won the Small Project of the Year Award at the IHE (Institute of Highways Engineers) Awards.
The £450,000 scheme included a new mini island, changes to the road layout and widening of footpaths and a series of gateway features built on the main roads approaching the village.
Work near the village’s war memorial with new timber bollards, kerbs, lighting, signs and benches were also carried out and completed in time for the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.
Barton Parish Council chairman Sue van Daesdonk said:
“We are delighted that the refurbishment of the war memorial area in the heart of the village to mark the centenary of the end of WW1 has received the Mercian Area IHE small project of the year award.
“The project was up against some stiff competition and it is a fitting tribute to the efforts of the team who worked diligently to ensure we achieved a sympathetic restoration on time and on budget despite working in the hottest conditions for 40 years!
Helen Fisher, cabinet member for Highways and Transport at Staffordshire County Council said:
“This is a great scheme and it’s nice to get the recognition by winning the award.
“The project was drawn up with the parish council with lots of input from the local community which made sure that it was the right scheme for the village.
“Barton-under-Needwood is a busy village and the improvements being made will all help to provide a more welcoming visitor experience and help to reduce congestion. It’s a great example of what can be achieved when local communities and other partners come together.
Richard Harris, Account Director from Amey, added:
“The team at Amey enjoyed working collaboratively with the Council and community to design and deliver a scheme that put local ideas at the heart of the solution.
“We were honoured to work so closely with local residents and businesses to understand and develop their ideas into an attractive and safe solution for the community, as well as improve the area around the war memorial to remember our servicemen and women.
“Winning the IHE Award is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved and we’re delighted the work has already started to have a positive impact on the local community.