Phase three of the Stratford Upon Avon highways maintenance improvements works on Wood Street have been completed a week early.
This is the third phase of works in the town centre following Phases One and Two which saw the resurfacing of the paving and highways in Bridge Street and High Street that was carried out in 2019/20.
The works on Wood Street saw the old paving replaced after they had been subject to a large amount of wear and tear over recent years. This was largely due to high tonnage vehicles using it for deliveries and damaging the paving which was not suitable for that use.
The new paving is made from smaller slabs and a more robust material designed to withstand the weight of heavy goods vehicles. In the long term, this will reduce the disruption of continuous repairs which are currently taking place every month along with the ongoing maintenance costs.
Warwickshire County Councillors Cllr Jenny Fradgley (Stratford West) and Cllr Kate Rolfe (Stratford South), were among the councillors who used their delegated Councillor budget to fund the initial two phases of work on Bridge Street and High Street. The scheme is also fully supported by Cllr Tim Sinclair, Warwickshire County Councillor for Stratford North, who became a county councillor in May 2021. They have been working with county council officers to ensure that the paving in and around the town’s historic quarter is safe and fit for purpose and in line with the town’s aesthetic.
Cllr Wallace Redford, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said: “This is a great example of a community-powered Warwickshire - everyone working together to make important improvements for residents, businesses and visitors to Stratford. We wanted to ensure the restrictions were not in place for any longer than they need to be. In the end they were ready a week earlier which is great news for the Stratford community.”
Stratford County Cllrs Jenny Fradgley, Kate Rolfe and Tim Sinclair said in a joint statement: “Stratford County Cllrs Jenny Fradgley, Kate Rolfe and Tim Sinclair said in a joint statement: “The Wood Street Works have been a major project which have taken over 3 years to complete. The design, finance and fitting of the work into a very busy schedule of improvement activity within the town have all posed significant challenges.
“We are very happy to have been able to work together with County Officers to achieve safer pavements along Wood Street. It’s great to see these works completed ahead of schedule and they do represent a huge improvement. We were as concerned as anyone about the state of these pavements and so we are really pleased to see the investment here. These improvements represent good news for residents, visitors and our local businesses alike.”
Stratford residents are currently being encouraged to give their views on possible town centre improvements and anyone wishing to have their say can visit: https://ask.warwickshire.gov.uk/transport-planning/stratford-upon-avon-town-centre/