Twelve weeks of work to improve walking and cycling routes in Cannock town centre now underway

The improvement works, which began on Monday, will take an estimated 12 weeks to complete.

The scheme will see the creation of a shared footway and cycleway created along Church Street, between Hednesford Road and Allport Road, on the northern side.

Improvements will also be made to the footway between Mill Street and Church Street and access to the Chase Centre Retail Park.

Meanwhile, the existing puffin crossing on the A34 Ringway will be upgraded to a toucan crossing, whilst provisions for a new link from the Beecroft Road car park to Allport Road will be made.

Improvements will further be made to uncontrolled crossings, street lighting and traffic signs in the town.

The project – which is expected to be completed on March 26 – has been funded by the Government’s Levelling Up Fund.

David Williams, Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "This scheme will bring major improvements to cyclists and pedestrians in Cannock town centre – bringing better connectivity and contributing to its regeneration.

"It is a significant investment through the Levelling Up fund programme which we hope will encourage active travel participation.

"The scheme will take 12 weeks and we will need to put temporary traffic management in place. We appreciate this is a busy town centre location but would ask for people to allow extra travel time during this period and apologise for any inconvenience."

Traffic management will be in place throughout, including the closure of the Hednesford Road/Lichfield Road junction for one to two days, which Staffordshire County Council says will be publicised nearer the time.

There will also be lane closures on Church Street, between the Queens Square roundabout and Lichfield Road roundabout and a lane closure on A34 Ringway in both directions between the Beecroft Road car park and Queens Square roundabout.

There will be further lane closures on the A34 Mill Street, between Queens Square roundabout and Mill Street.

People can find more information about the project by visiting the Staffordshire County Council website.