Bypass open after delay

Rugeley's long-awaited £25 million bypass is finally open to traffic today after the recent frustrating delays.

Engineers who have worked frantically over the past two days finally solved an electrical fault which had left no lights on a roundabout and the new route closed for most of the week.

The first cars were allowed on to the bypass at 7.50pm last night, just 20 minutes after engineers solved the problem which had left no lights at the Station Road roundabout.

Gary Wild, from Birse Civil, the company behind construction of the bypass, confirmed late last night that the 10-year project was complete.Residents in Rugeley have been holding their breath waiting for the moment the road, which was first discussed 40 years ago, opened.

The delays had left motorists mystified earlier this week when the bypass, which was first started in 1997, remained closed beyond Tuesday - when it should have become operational.

A late last-minute inspection forced embarrassed highways bosses to revise the opening, and then the electricity fault caused the county council to apologise to motorists - who had been forced to find an alternative route after being confronted with the coned-off road.

Despite these final hiccups Staffordshire County Council and its partners have delivered the bypass almost three months ahead of schedule and kept costs to a minimum.

The project was officially opened last Saturday in a blaze of glory with a huge parade of classic cars, lorries and other vehicles watched by hundreds of people.

The highway has been created to ease congestion in Rugeley - a major through route for heavy goods vehicles and commuters.

By Shaun Lintern