Fazeley traffic hits the buffers

The battle’s on to avoid potential gridlock on the roads around Fazeley next year. Local roads have historically suffered from the occassional traffic jam during holiday periods as visitors queue to get into Drayton Manor Park.

But this season, since the Manor became the new home of Thomas the Tank Engine, traffic problems have got an awful lot worse with serious congestion more regularly and, at times, locals taking the best part of an hour to drive the couple of miles from Ventura retail park to their homes in Fazeley.

And with plans for a water park and resort hotel at Drayton Manor likely to see 30% more visitors each year and the two major residential developments already agreed at Tolsens Mill and the woodyard things could get a lot worse. A significant problem is that Staffordshire County Council appears averse to planning ahead strategically. In the three years at County I’ve found a blind spot when it comes to understanding the need to invest in infrastructure to advance our economy.

DMP brings people and money into Staffordshire. Once there it’s up to both the business sector and government to make sure that the benefit is spread wider than just the theme park. I’m by no means saying that infrastructure should be paid for entirely out of tax money. Not at all. It is in the interest of the Park and the wider Staffordshire economy so a joint approach is what is needed… investment from business and also investment in the Staffordshire economy from the County. But that is an approach which has been way off the radar screen for whatever reason.

Three months ago I met with DMP and County Highways to see where things are going. The answers of big plans to expand at the Manor and no plans to improve local infrastructure from County were not a great surprise. So the follow up meeting I’m hosting in a week is important.

I want to find short term answers so Fazeley doesn’t suffer to the same extent next season and also establish the basics for a more significant infrastructure project ready should funding becomes available unexpectedly. I’m very hopeful of progress… we’ll see.

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