Posted on Tuesday 21st May 2024
Work to bring lasting improvements to a busy roundabout in Stafford town centre are set to begin next month.
The scheme at the A34 Gaol Square roundabout will include resurfacing and repairs to the footways, kerbs and drains. The B5066 Gaol Road will also be resurfaced for a 100-metre stretch, along with the other approaches to the roundabout.
It is part of the Levelling Up Fund programme for Stafford, which received a £9million allocation from the Government to improve the town’s roads and cycling and pedestrian routes. Funding must be spent within a specified time so has been scheduled for the summer, with much of the roundabout works taking place during the school holidays.
Work will begin on Gaol Road and the roundabout on June 3, with the whole scheme lasting for approximately 14 weeks. Traffic management will include lane closures, temporary lights and some temporary closures.
From June 3, Gaol Road footway resurfacing and repairs to drains and kerbs will take place for seven weeks and involve a one-way closure which will be switched as work progresses.
From July 12 to August 30, full night-time closures will be in place on weeknights. This will be Monday to Friday night, from 7.30pm to 6am.
Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for strategic highways Mark Deaville said:
While this scheme will bring significant and lasting improvements to the Gaol Square roundabout and its approaches, we understand people will be concerned about disruption, particularly with other major works taking place around the town.
We do need to carry out this scheme now due to the requirements set out in our funding agreement, but we are planning and scheduling them as carefully as we can. The Chell Road works will be complete by then, and the main roundabout resurfacing will take place at night, mostly over the school holiday period.
We’ll be keeping people fully informed throughout the scheme and would like to thank people for their patience and understanding while work takes place.”