Latest news with #StaffordshireCountyCouncil
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
'Continents move faster than Stafford's roadworks'
A town is experiencing a "massive effect" from long-term disruption caused by multiple roadworks, say residents and has been taking place on a number of main roads in Stafford at various times over the last few years, including Lichfield Road, the A34, A513 Beaconside, A449 Wolverhampton Road, Doxey Road and Chell owners said the closures and temporary traffic lights, plus the congestion they caused, have led to a sharp decrease in footfall across the County Council said it would do everything it could to change the way roadworks were planned in order to minimise disruption. Former business owner Andy Keen told BBC Midlands Today that, while he understood roadworks had to take place, they needed to be done "faster", as they were causing people to shop elsewhere."Continents are moving faster than the roadworks are happening," he said. "The pace they're taking place at is just too slow. It needs to happen far, far quicker." Jill Atkinson, owner of Queensville Stores, based in Queensville, said the roadworks were currently the worst they have ever been in her 46 years at the shop."It's had a massive effect since last September," she said. "We're just a small business and it's been really, really hard."It's affecting us, our staff, our livelihood – absolutely everything, really. It's just gone from bad to worse."Mrs Atkinson said people often did not realise they could still visit the shop while the roadworks were in place, and they had to throw more out-of-date produce away due to the fall in customers."We've worked long and hard for many years, and it's like it's being taken away," she added. Councillor Peter Mason, cabinet member for highways at the council, said the authority would refrain from adding any new non-essential works in heavily disrupted areas for the next three months."It is very clear to me that we need to do more to improve the condition of Staffordshire's roads," he said."This does come with inevitable disruption, which is to be expected, but we must do everything we can to minimise this."This includes changing how we programme these works so not so many are done at the same time." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
21-07-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Historic Gospel End bridge shut to traffic for refurb
A historic Staffordshire bridge is shut to traffic for four weeks for a £350,000 to the Grade II listed Wodehouse Lane Bridge on the main road through Gospel End, near Wombourne, will preserve it for "years to come", the county council 18th Century masonry arch structure requires bridge deck and utility investigations, repairs to brickwork and drain will be fully closed, with signed diversions in place, until 15 August, but a second phase of refurbishment will take place next year. Traffic will be diverted along the A463, A459, A4039 and A449 while the first phase of work is completed, the council County Council's cabinet member for strategic highways Peter Mason described the bridge over Wodehouse Mill Pool as a "historical asset"."This refurbishment scheme needs to be carried out in keeping with its Grade II listed status," he said."Unfortunately a full closure is needed due to the size of the bridge and the nature of works."He explained the work had been scheduled during school holidays to minimise disruption and thanked residents in advance for their understanding. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Staffordshire library part of £5m modernisation project
A library in Staffordshire is set to be part of a £5m modernisation project, the county council has County Council has revealed Wombourne Library will be one of 10 larger libraries in the region to undergo extensive work in the next few library will close its doors at 16:00 BST on 2 August, with a temporary library set to open in its place in the adjoining community centre on 7 August.A county council spokesperson said work would take about three months, with the library reopening in the autumn. Hayley Coles, Staffordshire County Council's cabinet member for Communities and Culture, said: "This investment is for libraries that haven't been improved in recent years and the money will be spent entirely on improving the public areas."At Wombourne there will be a dedicated children's area, free Wi-Fi and access to the internet, as well as space for people to work on their own devices, access business start-up advice and dozens of other services."She added: "Although Wombourne's temporary library will be a little smaller, residents will be able to order from the service's whole stock as usual."We'll keep them updated as work progresses and I'm sure they'll be pleased with the final result when it reopens."As well as Wombourne, nine other libraries run directly by Staffordshire County Council, including Leek, Stone, Biddulph, Perton, Kidsgrove, Burntwood, Rugeley, Uttoxeter and Cannock, are in line for future investment. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Road in Cannock closed as surface melts in hot weather
A road in Staffordshire was closed over the weekend when the surface melted in the heat, the county council has said. Staffordshire County Council reopened the stretch of road in Cannock on Monday after treating the road surface with granite Mason, cabinet member for strategic highways, said: "We took the decision to temporarily close Gorsemoor Road in Cannock at the weekend after we were made aware that the heat was affecting the condition of the road surface."According to the Met Office, temperatures in Cannock reached highs of 29C (84F) on the weekend with Mason adding it was "not unusual" for road surface temperatures to hit 50C (122F) during a heatwave. Mason added the repairs would not come at an expense to taxpayers, after the council found work carried out had not met the required said: "Any work carried out on our highway network needs to meet our design and quality standards and, on this occasion, the surface treatment did not perform. "We will work with our contractor to arrange for the necessary repairs to take place at no expense to the taxpayer," added the Reform UK Johnson, leader of Cannock Chase District Council – which is not responsible for the area's roads, but often receives complaints – said local highways were "notoriously bad"."We're renowned for our roads not being the best," he added he had received reports that vehicle tyres had been damaged, and said he was concerned about the cost of repairing motorist, who wished to remain anonymous, told the BBC she had spent more than £300 on replacement tyres after driving on Gorsemoor Road before the closure. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
Extra.ie
14-07-2025
- Climate
- Extra.ie
Woman narrowly avoids being hit by car after flipflop sticks to 'molten tarmac'
While Mediterranean-style heatwaves are being enjoyed by thousands across Europe, the summer sun was almost the cause of serious injury or death for one very lucky woman. The heat became so intense in parts of the UK this weekend that one woman in Staffordshire narrowly avoided being hit by a car after her choice of footwear caused her to become stuck to the road. Shocking images have shown tyres coated in a sticky substance from a residential road in Cannock, in the Midlands. Pic: SWNS The town sizzled as UK temperatures soared well over the 30C mark this weekend, with residents on Gorsemoore Road complaining that molten road surfaces caused significant and costly damage to their cars. The molten tarmac caused sufficient damage for the local council to close the road entirely on Friday and Saturday, allowing for emergency works to be carried out. Speaking to Metro, local postman Roger Wain said that his neighbour's Range Rover SUV had been coated in tarmac as the mercury hit 31C on Friday. Pic: SWNS He said: 'It's ripped parts of the road up. They resurfaced it four or five weeks ago, whether it wasn't done properly or whether it was a combination of the heat and a shoddy job.' The father-of-one added that he had been lucky to have kept away from the tarmac, but added that neighbours' cars and driveways had been 'ruined'. Marc Edwards, neighbour of Mr Wain, told Metro that cars travelling up and down the road had been 'ripping up great big chunks' of tarmac, spreading it all over footpaths and driveways. Pic: SWNS Mr Edwards added: ''It's wrecking loads of people's drives all up and down the street, and it's hardening on the tyres overnight. We thought potholes were bad, but this is ridiculous.' Following on from several serious complaints made against the council regarding the state of the road and the damage caused to personal property, Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways, said that they 'are aware' of the condition of Gorsemoor Road. 'Over the weekend, temperatures in Staffordshire are reaching over 30°C, significantly increasing the risk of surface melting on newly laid roads,' he told the UK publication. Pic: SWNS It is understood that gritting lorries, used to melt icy roads in the winter, have been deployed to the area, as well as to several others around the UK and Northern Ireland, to cool road surfaces. The vehicles disperse granite dust onto the tarmac, helping to soften the surface and enhance traction for drivers. However, the UK and Ireland are set to cool down significantly from today, July 14, after extreme heat lingered across Western Europe for several days last week. Several records were broken yesterday in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, which all recorded their warmest days of the year so far. However, England, Ireland and Northern Ireland are set for cooler temperatures in the coming days after weather experts predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms for the islands.
