FEAR OF DELAYS TO FESTIVE SHOPPING

Drivers already stuck in long queues at retail park

SHOPPERS have been queueing for more than 45 minutes to exit a retail park due to roadworks.

The works at the junction of Wolstanton Retail Park, the A500 and Grange Lane are leading to long queues to leave the shopping area.

It has led to traffic marshals being used to direct cars during busy periods and weekends.

The roadworks are part of work on the £43.3 million Etruria Valley Link Road, and are expected to remain in place until September 2022.

Now shoppers fear the delays will only get worse with just six weeks left until Christmas.

Tony Bagnall, aged 74, from Porthill, said: “If there’s a queue here, I don’t come. It’s scandalous.

“More people are going to be shopping now coming up to Christmas and the queues are going to get worse. “It’s taking a long time for the roadworks to be

completed. We must be running out of cones in this country now.”

Ged Walker, aged 86, from Wolstanton, said: “It’s shocking on here. We’ve been stuck for three quarters of an hour, probably even a bit longer.

“I think the roadworks have put people off coming here. It’s a lack of planning – they need another exit off here.”

Linda Shore, aged 79, from Porthill, said: “I’ve queued for a long time.

“Having a marshal here would be good coming up to Christmas.”

And Stephen Garner, aged 56, from Biddulph, added: “We always have a problem getting on and off here and we have been stuck.

“It’s coming up to Christmas and it’s getting worse. We don’t come on a Saturday or Sunday because it’s a nightmare.”

Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for infrastructure, regeneration and heritage, says the roundabout at the bottom of Wolstanton Retail Park will be opened up soon.

He said: “The project is backed by the Department for Transport at a national level, who recognise like we do, the link road’s huge potential to be a major economic driver by reducing congestion and further opening up an employment site which is already home to thousands of workers and global companies.

“This is one of the biggest road improvement schemes we’ve seen in the city for many years, and it’s inevitable there will be disruption at some point.”