Scores of lorries are again set to roll past people's houses during more overnight closures of the A50 in Uttoxeter.

Safety equipment which allowed a new A50 bridge to be worked on for three months without affecting traffic flow on the dual carriageway will now be removed during the closures.

The bridge is a key part of a new junction west of town that will serve the 700-home Bramshall Meadows development and improve traffic flow.

Huge steel beams being put in place as part of a project to build a new bridge on the A50 in Uttoxeter
Huge steel beams being put in place as part of a project to build a new bridge on the A50 in Uttoxeter

Staffordshire County Council bosses, who are managing the scheme on behalf of Highways England, say improving the bridge will support job creation and improve safety.

However, while the safety equipment is retrieved, diversions will drive traffic through the heart of town for five nights.

It will see a repeat of the closures earlier this year that saw homeowners in Ashbourne Road complain drivers were ignoring the signposted diversion and keeping them awake at night by driving past their homes.

Drivers were coming off the Little Chef roundabout, up Ashbourne Road and New Road, then heading towards Tean on the "old A50" route.

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However, an Ashbourne Road resident, who asked not to be named, said they did not anticipate sleepless nights this time around.

She said: "To be honest, we don't think it's going to be nearly as bad, because we'll be able to close our windows to keep the noise out. Last time, it was the middle of summer and you had a choice of the road noise or the heat keeping you awake.

"But we're confident it'll be ok this time as all the traffic was coming up here when a lorry fire closed the A50 on Friday night and it was fine with the windows closed.

"Obviously, we hope people will stick to the diversion, as it may cause a problem on New Road, where there are a lot of parked cars, meaning there's not a lot of room for lorries using both sides of the road."

County council economy boss Mark Winnington said: "This safety equipment has allowed workers to do their job quickly and efficiently over the last three months, while keeping the A50 running safely underneath without any problems. However it's time to remove the equipment, so we're doing it overnight to reduce the disruption to the public."

On Monday, October 23 and Tuesday, October 24, the A50 will be closed westbound, along with the outside lane of the eastbound carriageway.

On Wednesday, October 25, Thursday, October 26 and Friday, October 27, the road will shut eastbound, along with the outside lane of the westbound carriageway. The closures will be from 8pm until 5.30am between the Blythe Bridge and Little Chef roundabouts.

A county council spokesman said: "The diversion route will be the same for vehicles travelling in both directions. From the east, traffic will be diverted northwards from the A50 at Uttoxeter 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 The 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, before joining the A500 and then the A50 to Blythe Bridge."

The Shell petrol station near the B5030 roundabout will open as normal and access will be maintained at all times via the A522.

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