Two weeks of chaos ahead as Beaconside road misery returns
Drivers face two weeks of traffic misery after roadworks returned to Beaconside in Stafford - just months after they brought the town to a standstill.
Last year drivers were left with delays of up to an hour as Severn Trent Water worked on the busy route.
The work has already overrun by nearly a month by the time it finished in September - and now workers are back, with temporary traffic lights causing long delays.
Last year motorists were delayed by up to an hour on the route, which passes the RAF base, Staffordshire Technology Park and several housing estates.
And this latest work, to replace a water main, comes as the latest phase of work in Radford Bank starts for the new Aldi development.
Severn Trent moved back to the Beaconside site this week and is expected to be there until Sunday.
Multi-way traffic signals are in place as a rising main is fitted and last year's work is finished.
Severn Trent are carrying out the work the junction with Dyson Way to Gladstone Way.
The firm's spokesman Jonathan Smith said the work had always been planned for this time, and added: "There's a major major project going on in Stafford to replace water pipes.
"The rising main outlined in the roadworks for Beaconside is the new water system that's going in place."
Deputy leader of Stafford Borough Council Councillor Mike Smith said he understood why it was a long process but still insisted it was 'annoying'.
He said: "It's concerning but it's up to Staffordshire County Council. We get regular updates from them and Severn Trent about the work.
"But it's annoying of course it is. Its been going on for such a long time and we were promised a substantial amount of man power to get the work finished.
"One of the issues which comes with laying a new main is that it's not just placing the new main and the work is done – they have to go back and test it.
"But nevertheless we would expect them to have sent a good amount of workers to get the work done in good time."
In Radford Bank, Staffordshire County Council is carrying out work to get the electrical and drainage connections sorted for the new Aldi Store development.
Work began on Monday and is expected to finish at the end of this month.
