Tree clearances begin ahead of East Staffordshire junction improvements

Tree clearance work has begun next to a major East Staffordshire road junction ahead of an improvement scheme in the summer.

Clearance work will be carried out before the bird nesting season to the west of the Branston Interchange on the A38 and the south side of Branston Road. This will enable the project team to install an additional lane on the northbound slip road to turn left onto Branston Road. Branston Road will also be widened. After the junction works have been completed, tree planting will take place alongside the widened slip road and Branston Road.

The scheme will support new development on the Branston Locks site and is being funded by the developer. Initial improvements to Branston Road, which paved the way for the Branston Locks development and new high school, were carried out by Staffordshire County Council working with the developer and the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

So that the five-week clearance works can be carried out safely, nearside lane closures on the northbound exit slip road will be needed. These will take place between 6am and 4pm on consecutive Sundays from 30 January, 6 February, 13 February, 20 February and 27 February. There will also be an outer lane closure of the Branston roundabout island.

Staffordshire County Council 's cabinet member for highways and transport David Williams (pictured) said: “The five-week tree clearance work is needed ahead of the summer junction works. On completion the project team will plant new trees next to the widened road.

“The junction works will improve traffic flow off the A38 and support planned new development at Branston Locks - supporting businesses, job creation and house building.

“While this initial work takes place, we will need to put in temporary lane closures though we do not anticipate that this will have significant impact on traffic flow. We 'd like to thank people in advance for their patience while this phase of works is carried out. ”