Residents' frustrations at 'constant' roadworks

David Broome said he worried about the safety of local children as smaller streets were used as rat-runs

Residents in part of Stoke-on-Trent say they are angry at what they claim are almost constant roadworks in their area.

The various works carried out on City Road, Fenton, over the past year were essential for maintaining and improving local infrastructure, the city council said.

But residents said it was "one thing after another" this year with drivers using side roads as rat-runs to avoid queueing traffic.

The council said it would continue to monitor the situation and ensure disruption was kept to a minimum in any future work.

The road had been subject to work by utility and phone companies to make improvements to infrastructure in the area.

But resident David Broome said people living in the area were wondering when the roadworks would end.

“It’s just one thing after another and there has been that many I’ve lost track... It starts to get to that point and you’re just like 'I’m close to moving, I’ve had enough'," he said.

Mr Broome added drivers were also using the smaller residential streets as rat-runs to avoid traffic and he worried about the safety of children in the area.

Another resident who did not want to be named added: “It is really bad.

"I know they’ve got to do the work but it’s gets really bad down here."

The city council said working with companies to align scheduled work to the highway due to urgent work was not always possible and it understood residents' frustrations.

Councillor Finlay Gordon-McCusker added: “We understand that, at times, these works may have been inconvenient for residents with some motorists choosing to use nearby residential streets however it is important to note all roads that are public highways can be used by all."

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.