Weeks of delays as new cabling is installed at a busy crossroads

MOTORISTS face weeks of delays at one of Staffordshire’s busiest crossroads – as a £15million electricity project continues.

Five-way temporary traffic lights have been set up in Milton as Western Power Distribution continues work in the area as part of a major scheme to upgrade the city’s electricity network.

Drivers and residents have been warned the temporary lights – which are at the crossroads and the nearby Haslemere Avenue junction – are likely to be in place for six weeks.

In addition the project, which is seeing new cabling installed between substations at Cellarhead and by Chatterley Whitfield, will also see works continue on a number of other nearby roads, including the busy

Leek New Road.

Bosses say the investment to upgrade 10.5km of the city’s 132kv electricity network will support thousands of

‘low carbon technologies’ including making it possible for more people to charge up electric vehicles. The scheme began last May and has seen works carried out all around Norton, Baddeley Green, Bagnall and Milton. It is expected to be completed by this summer.

Temporary lights had previously been running on Baddeley Green Lane before the roadworks gradually shifted closer to the crossroads where the works are now focused. Workers have now moved into the second phase of the programme after 70 per cent of the first has been completed - which has involved ‘excavation and duct installation.’

Work is set continue at Bemersley Road, Milton crossroads, and Bagnall Road while ‘small sections’ are still due to be completed on Leek New Road and Knypersley Road. Signs have already gone up on Leek New Road near to Trentfields Road warning motorists of works and while they have advertised a start of March 7, at the time of writing they have not yet begun to encroach onto the road.

This month will see work on ‘phase two locations’ at Luzlow Lane, Bagnall

Road, Milton crossroads,

Leek New Road, Norton

Lane, Knypersley Road and Bemersley Road.