Saturday working and extra manpower being used to speed up Birmingham Road works in Stratford
MORE manpower and Saturday working are to be introduced to speed up the roadworks on the Birmingham Road in Stratford.
Traffic congestion has increased in Stratford town centre since the start of the work last month, with the Arden Street-Alcester Road junction a particular black spot.
The work also caused the closure of St Peter’s Way after the road was used as cut-through by motorists looking to avoid the queues. The added journey times have also negatively impacted businesses, as reported last week by the Herald.
However, the length of the pain (and hopefully the traffic queues) could be shortened after Warwickshire County Council announced measures to expedite the work and make up for lost time caused by the heavy rains of recent weeks.
Cllr Tim Sinclair (Con), county councillor for Stratford North, said: “I’ve been pushing the team to get extra resource allocated to this project since the works started, so I’m extremely pleased to see that the extra gang and Saturday working has been implemented to keep the project on track.
“The county council has listened to residents and heard their concerns. I personally have every sympathy with them and for the businesses who have suffered due to the roadworks.
“We have been committed to trying to alleviate the situation wherever possible, as shown by removing traffic management to support the Stratford Mop. Some of the congestion the town centre has unfortunately suffered from has been greatly exacerbated by emergency work required by utilities companies.
“Whilst I appreciate that this work has to be done, WCC is urging them in the strongest terms to minimise any future impact on town centre traffic.
“I look forward to a timely conclusion to this stage of works and for both lanes of the Birmingham Road, along with access to St Peter’s Way, to be open.”
The works, which are taking place between the A46 Bishopton roundabout to 386 Birmingham Road, included the closure of the Birmingham Road lane heading out of Stratford, diverting traffic along Alcester Road.
WCC added it hoped that both lanes of the Birmingham Road will be reopened as early as possible in November, along with St Peter’s Way.
The current work includes reconfiguring the road layout to switch Birmingham Road to having two inward-bound lanes rather than two lanes heading away from town.
Phase two of the Birmingham Road work also includes improved drainage, a new shared cycleway and footway from Worths Way to the entrance to Squirrels Street; a new crossing point over the Birmingham Road and a new bus shelter.
The next stages of the project will see the lanes narrowed on Birmingham Road and, when necessary, the use of temporary traffic lights.
