Plea to county council to not bring Christmas traffic chaos to Stratford as roadworks soon start on Birmingham Road
STAND by for action as the next chapter of the Stratford roadworks saga is about to start – and run right through Christmas to finish in January.
The warning signs have appeared and the county council is about to launch phase two of its bid to make the Birmingham Road better.
The action is due to start on Monday, 16th September, with work being split into three stages between the Bishopton island and The Avenue, with disruption due for 20 weeks in total.
There will be a variety of road closures, with diversion routes yet to be announced but the council says the pain will be worth it for the gain of a better flow of traffic and easier access to town for people wanting to walk or cycle.
And while the clash with the critical Christmas period will spark alarm for town centre businesses, the council has pledged to make changes at the busiest times if it appears necessary.
County Cllr Tim Sinclair (Con, Stratford North) told the Herald yesterday, Wednesday, he had hoped there would not be any work at Christmas but that it was part of the plans.
He said: “I’ve raised a red flag with them, saying don’t cause chaos in Stratford.
“I’ve stressed to the project team if they are going to have any traffic management in place over Christmas they have to be extremely aware about what’s going on with markets and visitors.
“They have said they will monitor the situation and change it as necessary. I will continue to talk to them about this.”
Part one of this phase two took place last year and tackled the preparatory work below the surface.
When work restarts with part two of phase two, work will be to make the physical changes to the route from the island, based on a review of the scheme carried out last autumn.
This will include a new shared 3m wide footway and cycleway on the inbound side up to Buckingham Way connecting to the existing, widened footway.
A new crossing point will also be installed between Buckingham Way and Worths Way - and, significantly, priority for traffic will be changed with two lanes into town and one out.
The outbound side will include a new shared footway and cycleway from Squirrels Street connecting to the existing footway at Worths Way, plus a new bus shelter to replace the existing bus stop.
Beyond the Christmas issue, Cllr Sinclair broadly welcomed the aims of this next phase.
He said: “It should make a real difference both to locals who can choose how they travel to town, and commuters who will feel the benefit of reduced traffic and improved traffic flow.
“The changing priority also reflects the need to increase capacity for traffic into town and responds to the input from residents, businesses and other stakeholders.”
County Cllr Jan Matecki, portfolio holder for transport and planning, said: “We are confident that phase two of the work will make a significant difference to the congestion and air quality in the town and offer a viable opportunity to cycle or walk into town for residents, reducing the congestion for commuters.
“We will make sure we communicate with residents to ensure they know what is happening and we will work with contractors to ensure the traffic management has the minimal impact.”
Phase two, part two will be carried out in three stages, with closure arrangements to be confirmed:
1. Bishopton Roundabout to 386 Birmingham Road for seven weeks
2. 386 Birmingham Road to Buckingham Way for two weeks
3. Buckingham Way to The Avenue for eleven weeks
The work will costs £7.47million but that covers forthcoming work for phase three that is yet to be confirmed and will link St Peter’s Way and Arden Street (Windsor Street to Arden Street was covered in phase one in 2022).
The money has come from the Department for Transport National Productivity Fund (£2.4m); the S106 fund for Bishopton infrastructure; Safer Routes to Schools and two contributions from the county council’s capital investment fund (£3.89m).
Meanwhile sounding a positive note, Rich Jones, Bell Court manager and BID chair, said: "While roadworks may bring temporary changes, Stratford-upon-Avon remains open for business and ready to welcome shoppers. Park and Ride and Rail options are alternative ways to access the town. We are dedicated to minimising disruptions and ensuring that our events, including the upcoming Food Festival and Christmas lights switch on continue. Your support is essential—let's keep celebrating all that Stratford has to offer!"
