Staffordshire County Council has responded to widespread criticism of its changes to Stone ring road by launching a fresh investigation into the volume and movement of traffic around the town.
Traffic flows will be monitored for three weeks, starting on April 30th, with video camera surveillance at and around the junctions between May 2nd and 8th.
The decision follows concerns raised by motorists and the community about congestion.
Local county councillor Philip Jones said: “The highways team has worked incredibly hard to find a solution to the congestion along Stone Bypass. The improvements they have already made have proved to be very successful. We have also worked with Morrison’s to find a way to tackle the issue.
“However, a recent technical fault with the traffic lights seems to have raised concerns again but I would like to reassure people that this was a temporary problem and to reiterate that the county council acted quickly and effectively to fix the problem.
“Staffordshire is a listening council and we will ensure that every possible step is taken to enable traffic to flow freely around Stone town centre. The team will be undertaking a further traffic survey of the bypass and the affected junctions later this month and into next month. This information will arm the team with the knowledge it needs to decide if there are any remaining issues and how best to solve them.”
You can still sign the petition, which demands changes to the ring road, by clicking here.
5 comments
Keith H
Has anyone picked up on the dates for the survey? This is not a typical week to use video surveillance straddling a bank holiday weekend. I may sound cynical, but was this week chosen to lessen the case? Surely a ‘normal’ week would have been more useful.
judithkelt
I have also questioned these changes with the County Council from the outset. I was told by someone at the Highways Department that their initial survey showed that 40% of traffic turned left at the end of Christchurch Way. The current situation seems to contradict that research.
I am now getting rather tired of Philip Jones telling us that the system is working well. This is fairly obviously not the case at any busy time of the day – morning and evenings in the week and throughout the day on Saturdays – when traffic queues up beyond Oulton Road.
In addition, the new crossings have made life very difficult for the elderly.
All letters, comments and suggestions have been ignored by the Highways Department. Why have the view of the residents of Stone not been requested and taken into account?
jvictor7
Thanks for the comment Judith. You ask some very valid questions
Nick Tucker
What planet is Jones on?
“Improvements ……….very successful” ????????????
‘Listening council’ but not a listening councillor, just put things back to how they were and for God’s sake STOP WASTING OUR MONEY!!!
Mr T Rout
I have been an opponent of these changes from day one, but putting things back the way they were would compound a waste of our money. All they need to do now is remove the daft island at the junction of Christchurch Way and Lichfield Street and open both lanes to traffic going straight on to Stafford Street/Crown Street, with prominent “filter in turn” signs. Also marking Mill Street as two lanes would give those leaving Morrisons a good indication of which lane they should be in. Oh, and charge Morrisons for the cost of implementing these changes ( though I realise that this probably cant be done as the original changes were not done at their behest).