A major road from Tatenhill into Burton closed for almost a year is due to reopen on Wednesday, December 6 - but then will close again for FIVE MONTHS in Janaury.

Residents living in Tatenhill have put up with Branston Road being closed for most of the year while work is done in preparation for the opening of a new £30 million John Taylor Free School.

This has meant that businesses have struggled and people have had longer journeys into Burton, spending more on fuel in the process.

The road was due to open last month but the work was delayed until today, after the discovery of an unmarked cable in the ground.

According to villagers Rob Walker and Melanie Wright, there has now been concerns in Tatenhill that the road would not be opened on time, causing more problems for those facing it on a daily basis.

Villagers gathered at The Horseshoe Inn, in Tatenhill

However, a spokesman for Staffordshire County Council said it has spoken to the engineers working on the Branston Road project and they are "currently on programme for the road to open on Wednesday night".

The authority revealed last month that that the discovery of the telecoms cable located within the new drainage works meant that further work was needed on the site.

People living in Tatenhill have endured around 12 months of on and off road closures while work is being done to improve the road ready for the opening of the new secondary school.

But villagers will face furthe rmisery next year as the road will close AGAIN on January 2 until May 15 for more work.

Melanie Wright organised the gathering of villagers in Tatenhill

The closure is in place between the new roundabout in Branston Road and the Main Street andDunstall Road crossroads in Tatenhill village.

The major works have involved the removal of an existing road, construction of a new road and roundabout, and a new footway and cycleway.

It is all part of getting infrastructure in place for the new school which will open in September 2018.

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County councillor Helen Fisher, cabinet support member for highways and transport, has previously said that the works were essential to ensure the entire infrastructure was in place to serve the new school, businesses and future residents.

She said: "Not only are we constructing a new road and roundabout, we are also installing services, traffic signs, street lighting and marking out the roads."

Officers from the county council, Seddon Construction, Entrust, sponsors John Taylor Multi Academy Trust (JTMAT) and the Education and Skills Funding Agency are behind the new secondary school.

The £30 million school is being built in response to planned housing developments and an increasing birth rate in the Burton area, with around 3,000 new secondary school places needed in the town over the next 15 years.

Villagers were out in force last month to make their voices heard over the continued closures of Branston Road and tell council chiefs they "have been patient enough".

One resident, Fred Scott, of Main Street, Tatenhill, said: "It is a nuisance and is putting miles on my journey to work.

"I normally shop at Morrisons but that takes longer to get to. It is inconvenient.

John Taylor Free School in Tatenhill
Official Topping Ceremony
Invited guests gather on the roof for the topping ceremony, to mark that the roof is complete and watertight.
One of the two main stairwells
The official topping ceremony for the John Taylor Free School in Tatenhill

"We sometimes have a Chinese but we cannot have that now. We have to go elsewhere as we cannot go where we want to go.

"They are not working on the road at weekends or night, I think they could be doing more. It is ridiculous.

"I don't think that the council is being very fair. All the traffic going out of the village has to go towards the Acorn pub and use that crossing which can be difficult. You have to cross all the traffic which makes it doubly difficult.

"My wife had her car written off in an accident there not too long ago. It has impacted me personally, the amount of traffic which is getting pushed through the town.

"With St Peter's Bridge being closed as well, you now have people coming down Cadley Hill and into Barton to avoid it. They could have done things better."