Traffic light work launches bypass
TRAFFIC lights are set to be installed on a busy main route as part of the construction of a £4.5 million link road.
The first phase of the Burslem link road will see improvements to the Westport Road and Federation Road junction, in Burslem, and traffic lights and pedestrian crossings installed outside John Baskeyfield Primary School.
New footpaths and railings will also be created along Westport Road as well as parts of the junction being widened.
Now families are being consulted about the planned changes until August 28.
If approved, it is hoped the junction improvements can be completed by the end of March.
The wider link road scheme will involve a bypass stretching around the periphery of the former Royal Doulton site from Waterloo Road to Moorland Road
The exact route of that section is not yet decided but it is expected to stretch between the two roads, forcing traffic travelling from Hanley to go around Burslem towards Vale Park.
The Newcastle Street-Woodbank Street junction will also be improved as part of the plan.
The two sections will ultimately meet at Waterloo Road although there are no plans to join them north of the town.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council is paying for the link road after numerous complaints about traffic clogging up Burslem town centre.
Councillor Brian Ward, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "Improvements to road safety and traffic flow around Burslem town centre are an important part of the area's regeneration.
"This scheme forms the first phase of a longer link road that will remove traffic from the town centre, making it more pleasant for residents and businesses.
"The proposed traffic lights, pedestrian crossings and footpaths will make this junction safer for local people, especially the children who go to John Baskeyfield Primary School.
"We will also provide right hand turning lanes on two of the approaches to the junction in order to provide extra road space and to improve traffic flow."
People living near the junction have given a mixed response to the traffic light plan.
Jeff Randle, aged 54, of Westport Road, said: "We really need something to slow down the traffic.
"We get a lot of speeding motorists on Westport Road, and that's quite dangerous considering there's a school there. It is quite a busy road too with the recycling centre just around the corner.
"I don't want to see more sleeping policemen, so traffic lights may be the answer. Speed cameras could be useful too."
But Gillian Malkin, aged 54, of Westport Road, said: "We get enough traffic around here as it is, and now they want to move more from the town centre to here. It can be really bad when people are parking on the streets and the big lorries can't get past.
"There was a meeting about a year ago where we objected to the scheme, but it didn't make a difference. They'll just do what they want."
Burslem news
Comments
by Ian Norris, tunstall
Saturday, August 22 2009, 9:36AM
“Is it Market place that is being closed or waterloo road too? if waterloo is to remain open why are they talking about "forcing traffic travelling from Hanley to go around Burslem towards Vale Park."
What of traffic from Hanley to Kidsgrove will that be diverted down Westport Raod and up through Tunstall High Street?
If the Council have £4.5M in capital reciepts, why is that not going towards the much talked about New City Centre Bus Station?”