A £1 million highways scheme on the A34 near Stone in Staffordshire moves to the next phase with an expected completion date of mid-September.

Staffordshire County Council’s highways teams will be carrying out essential drainage works on the B5026 Eccleshall Road in Stone, from the A34 to Tilling Drive.

The scheme is part of a wider £30 million investment the county council is making into its roads over the next two years.  The investment aims to improve major gateways into Staffordshire and is on top of an extra £5 million to fix highways defects across the county.

David Williams, Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport at Staffordshire County Council said: “This is an important scheme for Stone and this latest phase of the works will see the installation of new drainage systems under the road.

“Good roads are important for residents, motorists and of course the economy and it is important to invest in keeping them safe and well maintained.  This is why we announced an extra investment of £5 million in pothole repairs, on top of an extra £30 million investment in larger repairs and resurfacing of roads and junctions over the next two years.

“The quickest and safest way to do this phase of the work is to fully close the road for four days. This will give crews the best opportunity to get the work done as efficiently as possible. We’re also doing the work during the school holidays when the roads are quieter, which should help us keep any disruption to a minimum. Once again I would like to thank drivers for their co-operation and patience during the works.”