Staffordshire County Council has launched a major new plan to tackle decades of decline in the county’s roads and highways.
The new Roadmap to a Better Network sets out how the council will fix more roads, protect vital bridges, and cut the repair backlog, all while delivering better value for money and pushing for fairer funding from government.
It comes as new figures reveal the scale of the challenge: at current funding levels, it would take 181 years to repair every road in Staffordshire, and 515 years to bring all bridges and structures up to standard.
The roadmap includes four key themes:
Fixing roads properly – more whole-road repairs to reduce disruption.
Smarter delivery – using new tech and local teams to cut repeat visits and improve quality.
Better value – aiming to improve efficiency so more of our budget goes into repairs
Fighting for Staffordshire – lobbying for long-term investment and fairer funding from Westminster.
Peter Mason, Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways, said:
“This roadmap is our commitment to doing things differently. For too long, Staffordshire’s roads have been stuck in a cycle of decline, and residents are rightly frustrated. We want to stop the slide of our roads into decline and turn the tide so residents can see and feel the difference.
“We know that our roads need to be funded properly, and that will be one of our big asks of government. Added to this though, we must ensure we are working as efficiently as possible
“This is about fixing roads properly, saving our structures, and making sure every pound goes further. Staffordshire deserves better – and we’re determined to deliver it.
“Over the coming months as we work to this new roadmap, I hope that residents will start to see a difference. We are also urging local MPs to back our campaign for fairer funding and long-term investment in Staffordshire’s highways.”
Meanwhile, a major upgrade to a main road junction in Lichfield providing access to a new housing development will be completed in December. The developer-funded scheme will see the A5192 Eastern Avenue junction with Watery Lane upgraded to include additional lanes, new traffic lights, road resurfacing, new and improved paths, signs and road markings and improved drainage. There will also be a new controlled pedestrian crossing on Eastern Avenue which will significantly improve safety.
So that work to be carried out safely and as quickly as possible, traffic management has been in place throughout the scheme. This has included temporary signals, lane closures and some road closures, including scheduled ones in December.
Final surfacing and road marking works will take place between Monday 1 December and Friday 12 December. Full overnight closures which be needed each night between 7pm and 7am in both directions and a signed diversion will be in place. While the scheme had originally been scheduled to finish in November, there has unfortunately been some unforeseen issues with utility company drainage which resulted in a slight scheme redesign. People directly affected by the planned closures will be notified nearer the time.
The improved junction will enable safe and improved access onto Watery Lane and the new Redrow Homes Curborough Lakes development, which will have nearly 470 properties.
