Richard Stevens

Staffordshire County Council’s proposals for the Stonefield Traffic Management Scheme were unanimously condemned by last night’s Town Council Meeting. The issue was actually on the agenda but was pre-empted during Public Question Time when a resident of Northesk Street asked for the support of the council in objecting to the proposals.

I urged all councillors to support the request. I pointed out that the scheme appeared to solve a non existent problem. I was concerned at the waste of money on a scheme that no-one wanted. And I was appalled that traffic calming measures were planned for Mount Avenue, which no-one has asked for, whilst continued calls for traffic calming in other areas e.g  Longton Road, Newcastle Road and Eccleshall Road, have all been ignored. And I expressed my astonishment that, far from preventing ‘rat runs’, the scheme would actually encourage one - from Newcastle Street to Longton Road via Margaret Street, Dominic Street and Northesk Street.

Other councillors pointed out the nonsense of creating one way streets pointing towards the level crossing and the fact that the scheme had been designed without taking into account the change in traffic patterns created by the recent installation of traffic lights outside Langtry’s pub.

In a rare moment of accord, all members agreed to support the local residents by agreeing that the Council should write to the County Council lodging a formal objection to the scheme.