Looking to the future the county council remains committed to being open and honest with local residents around Four Ashes. I sincerely hope this ‘blog’ will play an important role in ensuring you have access to useful information.

If you have any questions about these proposals then please email comment@staffsprojectw2r.info. I will try to respond to the most frequently asked questions in future entries.

July 2008 – Local Traffic Update

Whilst the planning committee are considering our planning application my team and I have been studying the responses we have received from local residents about whether to introduce traffic calming measures along the Straight Mile in Calf Heath.

In recent months residents and business owners have raised issues with us about the current traffic situation in Calf Heath. In particular local people have said there are problems with the number of cars ‘rat running’ through the village and at the junctions where Vicarage Road meets the Straight Mile and also the A5.

In April we presented proposals to improve the two junctions. We also asked local residents for their views on whether they want the council to introduce traffic calming measures along the Straight Mile. Residents had the option of selecting speed humps along the whole of the road, or build outs, which would narrow the width of the road, or vehicle activated signs to encourage drivers to slow down, we also asked for residents own suggestions. Any traffic calming measures would only be introduced after the main junction improvements had been introduced and with the support of the local residents.

Our proposals for the two junctions are currently being considered by the Highways Agency and the County Council’s Highways Engineers. We have also been considering the responses we received about introducing traffic calming along the Straight Mile.

From the 475 leaflets that were distributed to each property in Calf Heath and also made available at the public exhibition we have received 23 responses. A report showing what people said will be available on this website in the next few weeks.

The outcomes of this report will be considered carefully. I will of course keep you updated on the progress we make but in the spirit of continuing to be open and honest with local residents I thought it important to let you know the current situation.

In the meantime we will continue to talk to the Highways Agency and the County Council’s Highways Engineers and develop our proposals to improve the two junctions on Vicarage Road.