Notes of a meeting with County Council Highways Department
on Wednesday March 10^th 2010.

Present: Charles Soutar and Nick  Dawson (Highways) Richard Jenkins & Ken Lancaster (Residents Association)

1. Both the County and Borough Councils are anticipating population growth for Stafford Borough in the foreseeable future and are planning accordingly.
2. The planning processes for the County in relation to road building and the Borough in relation to house building are out of synch but there is an assumption of further  housing development on Castlefields (the Borough’s plans are due to be published later this year).
3. The approximate time scale for the road is :-

Consultation report and options to Cabinet by May
Proposals in to public domain by end of May
Formal bid to Government for cash thereafter
Decision mid 2011
Further surveys etc. through to late 2012
Construction between 2014 and 2016

4. Any road construction would be carried out in consultation with the community over noise abatement measures etc. There’s a potential role for the Residents Association.
5. It is accepted that the road will not, of itself, solve the traffic problems and a major reconfiguration of the junction with the A34 by Halfords would be necessary and, even then, there would still be traffic congestion at peak times.
6. Part of the scheme would be to improve walking and cycling routes around Castlefields but there are plans anyway for an improvement to the walking route from Castlefields into Castletown.
7. If the road is not built, the housing development may well still take place and a more limited access from Castlefields to the Doxey Road would probably result.
8. Discussions over town centre traffic management identified that concerns over the proliferation of traffic lights, light-controlled pedestrian crossings and lights at roundabouts are well founded and there is ongoing review of their necessity. The possibility of part-time lights and, for example, the removal of some pedestrian crossings or their replacement by zebra crossings is being considered.
9. The provision of footbridges across the road outside the station and Sainsbury’s is not practicable, but there is a desire to remove as much traffic as possible from Chell Road and provide an improved location for buses. A bus station is seen as desirable but Park and ride is not as a high percentage of town centre traffic is from within the town.

Outcomes of meeting between representatives of Residents’ Association of Castlefields,
Streetscene and Highways on Tuesday, March 16th 2010

1. Require additional bins around the rugby club area:
   Bin provided at entrance to rugby club footpath (24/03)
2. Need for road-markings and signs on approach to roundabout on Kingsway/Redgrave junction from Newport Road:
   Works instruction raised, to provide lane arrows on the approach to the roundabout.
3. Issues of litter and maintenance of vegetation around the area of the lake and litter in the water.
   Environment Agency confirm land is owned by Stafford BC. Streetscene informed and agree to do a litter pick ( 19/03)
4. Need for repair or replacement of posts on Martin Drive to walk-way.
   Works instruction raised, to provide and install new oak posts to replace the existing rotten ones.
5. Issues of litter and maintenance of vegetation along Martin Drive, Redgrave and walk-way from Martin Drive to Castletown:
   Streetscene  to look at frequency of bin emptying along footpath route to
   Castletown. Streetscene to do a litter pick along Redgrave and Martin before
   hedge growth covers the problem.
       Litter pick done by Streetscene and will be repeated
6. Erection of street signs re. Penalty for dropping litter may be helpful, especially along  Martin Drive
   Stafford Borough not keen on such signs and doubt their effectiveness
7. Martin Drive fence – remove or repair? General feeling of repair for safety on account of ditch.
   Highways suggest fence is a St Modwens responsibility. RAC to pursue
   Site meeting with St Modwen’s  07/04
      Fence is responsibility of Lord Stafford Estates. RAC to persue.
8. Bin by 2nd alleyway from Martin Drive to estate:
   Bin provided  (19/03)
9. Issues of litter and fly-tipping on car park at end of Martin Drive.
   Streetscene aware of problem and will look at their current activity and see       whether it can be increased.
   Residents encouraged to report any issues to 01785  619000  for action usually within 24 hours
10. Recently planted trees at end of Martin Drive almost dead – who should be maintaining them?
    BTCV are checking ownership. If it is their responsibility they will do maintenance when they do the plantation around the balancing lake, probably in May.
       Work carried out in May and will be repeated later in the year and in future years subject to funding.
11. Health and safety hazard caused by missing paving tiles along Redgrave:
    It is proposed remove the remaining tiles, and surface over the whole width of the footway with  footway “slurry seal”. This works to be included in next years rolling works programme, subject to resources
12. Repair and maintenance of stile near golf course and bridle way at top of Bonington:
    Referred to Highways’ Footpaths division for action.
       Gate has been repaired and style replaced.
13. Need for road resurfacing of Newport Road.
    Resurfacing works along Newport Road between Bridge Street and Castlefields are scheduled to start from mid April
       Work started in May and will continue through the Summer.
14. Serious safety issue of lack of lighting over bridge from Castlefields to Castletown:
    According to Land Charges records, this length of road is a private road, and not publicly maintainable
15. Repair to trip rail on land adjacent to Rose Hill
    Streetscene to deal.
       Trip rail replaced along with those around car park on Marin Drive.
16. Derelict Sub-station:
    Highways to assist RAC in establishing ownership.
    According to Land Charges records, the sub-station is not sited on highway land, so the only recourse is for the RA to approach Land Registry, at Liverpool.