A50 works – road closures from July 2018

Published 4 July 2018

With the new bridge in place and slip roads integrated into the dual carriageway the A50 Project A scheme is nearing completion.

One of the final, big steps is the removal of the south embankment which raises the A522 up to the ‘old’ bridge which crosses the A50.

Workers will lower the area by approximately 20 feet, to allow the installation of new drains and utilities. We will also complete the outstanding stretch of the new A522 carriageway, footpaths and street lighting to connect it to the new junction and bridge across the A50.

To do this the A522 will be completely closed to all vehicles and pedestrians, just west of Tunnicliffe Way, 24-hours-a-day from 5am Monday, July 16 to Friday, September 28.

The slip roads, ‘on’ and ‘off’ the A50, from the A522 New Road roundabout will also be closed at the same time.

We have deliberately scheduled this essential phase of the project to coincide with both the summer holiday closure of the JCB Heavy Products factory and the school summer holidays when traffic levels will be lower. There’s no doubt this will cause some inconvenience and I appreciate your patience while we carry out this important work.

Diversions
Diversions will be clearly signposted and maps showing the alternative routes are available here or by going to www.staffordshire.gov.uk and searching for ‘A50’.

Traffic travelling west on the A522 towards Tean will be diverted on to the A50 at the B5030 McDonald’s roundabout and then leave the A50 at the new junction, use the new bridge and re-join the A522.

Traffic travelling east on the A522 towards Uttoxeter will be diverted on to the eastbound A50 and at the B5030 roundabout those wanting Uttoxeter town centre will be directed left towards the A518 The Dove Way.

Pedestrians will still be able to travel in both directions by following a short, signposted diversion between Tunnicliffe Way and The Parks, which passes through Torrance Grove and along a temporarily lit and resurfaced public footpath. Cyclists can also use the route but are asked to dismount on the public footpath.

Access to the Shell petrol station, which stands a few hundred yards west of the B5030 roundabout on the westbound carriageway will be maintained at all times.

Other work
There are also overnight closures of the A50 planned for the nights of:

* Friday, July 6th, 8pm to 5.30am: the westbound carriageway will be closed and the eastbound open as usual;
* Saturday, July 7th, 8pm to 5.30am: the eastbound carriageway will be closed and the westbound open;
* Saturday, July 14, and Sunday July 15, 8pm to 5.30am: closed in both directions.

During the closures of the A50, we will put a fully signposted diversion route in place, suitable for all vehicles including HGVs. Highways England will put advance notices warning of the closures on its wider A-road and motorway network to encourage traffic to take alternative routes on the nights of the closures.

Traffic heading west will be diverted northwards from the A50 on to the B5030 for a few hundred yards to the roundabout with the A518. Traffic will turn right there, cross back over the A50 along Dove Way and continue on the A518 clockwise around Uttoxeter and follow the road towards Stafford. Vehicles will then follow the A51 and A34 towards Stoke-on-Trent and then on to the A500 and A50. The route is reversed from the west.

Importance of the A50
The A50 is the most important transport link between the East and West Midlands. The planned improvements will also benefit major employers and their employees between Stoke-on-Trent and Derbyshire, making journeys quicker, easier and safer.

Staffordshire County Council is delivering these improvements on behalf of Highways England. We will continue to update you as the project progresses.

The A50 Growth Corridor Team

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